Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly widespread sleep-breathing disordered disease, and is an independent risk factor for many high-risk chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arrhythmias and diabetes, which is potentially fatal. The key to the prevention and treatment of OSA is early diagnosis and treatment, so the assessment and diagnostic technologies of OSA have become a research hotspot. This paper reviews the research progresses of severity assessment parameters and diagnostic technologies of OSA, and discusses their future development trends. In terms of severity assessment parameters of OSA, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), as the gold standard, together with the percentage of duration of apnea hypopnea (AH%), lowest oxygen saturation (LSpO₂), heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and the emerging biomarkers, constitute a multi-dimensional evaluation system. Specifically, the AHI, which measures the frequency of sleep respiratory events per hour, does not fully reflect the patients’ overall sleep quality or the extent of their daytime functional impairments. To address this limitation, the AH%, which measures the proportion of the entire sleep cycle affected by apneas and hypopneas, deepens our understanding of the impact on sleep quality. The LSpO₂ plays a critical role in highlighting the potential severe hypoxic episodes during sleep, while the HRV offers a different perspective by analyzing the fluctuations in heart rate thereby revealing the activity of the autonomic nervous system. The ODI provides a direct and objective measure of patients’ nocturnal oxygenation stability by calculating the number of desaturation events per hour, and the biomarkers offers novel insights into the diagnosis and management of OSA, and fosters the development of more precise and tailored OSA therapeutic strategies. In terms of diagnostic techniques of OSA, the standardized questionnaire and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) is a simple and effective method for preliminary screening of OSA, and the polysomnography (PSG) which is based on recording multiple physiological signals stands for gold standard, but it has limitations of complex operations, high costs and inconvenience. As a convenient alternative, the home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) allows patients to monitor their sleep with simplified equipment in the comfort of their own homes, and the cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) offers a minimal version that simply analyzes the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As an emerging diagnostic technology of OSA, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly pinpoint respiratory incidents and expose delicate physiological changes, thus casting new light on the diagnostic approach to OSA. In addition, imaging examination utilizes detailed visual representations of the airway’s structure and assists in recognizing structural abnormalities that may result in obstructed airways, while sound monitoring technology records and analyzes snoring and breathing sounds to detect the condition subtly, and thus further expands our medical diagnostic toolkit. As for the future development directions, it can be predicted that interdisciplinary integrated researches, the construction of personalized diagnosis and treatment models, and the popularization of high-tech in clinical applications will become the development trends in the field of OSA evaluation and diagnosis.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the combined Yiqi Huoxue Jiedu formula (YHJF) on intestinal microbiota in elderly patients with pulmonary-derived sepsis and identify potential microbial targets. METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial was conducted. Elderly patients with pulmonary infection-induced sepsis admitted to the emergency department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), intensive care unit (ICU) of Fangcun Hospital, and ICU of Daxuecheng Hospital, from November 2020 to October 2021 were enrolled and randomized into two groups. Both groups received conventional Western medicine treatment. The observation group additionally received YHJF (composed of 15 g of Panax ginseng, 9 g of Panax notoginseng, and 3 g of Rheum palmatum, dissolved in 50 mL warm water) orally or via nasogastric tube twice daily for 7 days; while the control group received a placebo. Clinical data and fresh fecal samples were collected before treatment and on days 5-7 of treatment. Intestinal microbiota diversity and structure were analyzed via 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics [α diversity, β diversity, and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe)]. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were included (29 in the control group, 26 in the observation group). There were no significantly differences in gender, age, comorbidities, and baseline sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) classification score, and gastrointestinal failure (GIF) score between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the observation group showed significantly lower serum procalcitonin, APACHE II score, and greater reduction in GIF score by day 7. Thirty fecal samples were collected pre-treatment (baseline group), 29 post-treatment from the control group, and 26 from the observation group. Gut microbiota α diversity analysis revealed that Simpson index in the observation group and control group were significantly decreased compared to the baseline group [0.75 (0.53, 0.91), 0.81 (0.32, 0.91) vs. 0.88 (0.87, 0.89), both P < 0.05], but there was no significantly difference between the observation group and the control group. There were no significantly differences in Chao1, Ace, and Shannon indices among three groups. β diversity analysis indicated that distinct microbiota structures among three groups (R² = 0.096, P = 0.026). Species difference analysis showed that, at the phylum level, Firmicutes (53.69%), Actinobacteria (16.23%), Proteobacteria (15.39%), and Bacteroidetes (9.57%) dominated, with no significant intergroup differences. At the genus level, 38 taxa showed significant differences. Compared to the control group, the observation group exhibited increased Erysipelatoclostridium (P = 0.014) and Faecalibacterium (P = 0.013), and decreased Bacteroides (P = 0.009), Bilophila (P = 0.005), Eggerthella (P = 0.002), and Collinsella (P = 0.043). LEfSe analysis highlighted Lactobacillus salivarius, Erysipelatoclostridium, Collinsella, Cloacibacillus, and Bacteroides as key discriminators. CONCLUSION YHJF combined with conventional therapy alters intestinal microbiota structure in patients with elderly pulmonary-derived sepsis, with Bacteroides, Erysipelatoclostridium, and Collinsella identified as potential microbial targets.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Double-Blind Method ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Male ; Female ; Panax notoginseng ; Rheum

Objective: To investigate the association of physical activity and screen time with overweight and obesity among children and adolescents with special needs in Tianjin, so as to provide scientific evidence for childhood obesity prevention and intervention measures in the population. Methods: From January 2022 to June 2024, 296 children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders aged 2-18 years were recruited from special education schools and institutions in Tianjin. Height and weight were measured, and a standardized questionnaire was used to assess physical activity and screen time. Binary Logistic regression analysis was carried out to investigate the association of physical activity and screen time with overweight and obesity. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents with special needs in Tianjin were 17.2% and 21.6%, respectively, and the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 38.9%. The median of moderatetovigorous physical activity (MVPA) time was 0.20 h/d, and physical activity sufficiency rate was 7.8%. The median of screen time was 1.79 h/d, and the screen time compliance rate was 68.2%. The binary Logistic regression results showed that lower levels of MVPA time and increased screen time were associated with a higher risk of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents with special needs [OR(95%CI)=1.80(1.06-3.07), 2.40(1.42-4.07),P<0.05]. Conclusions Insufficient physical activity and excessive screen time are associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents with special needs. Therefore, comprehensive intervention measures should be implemented as early as possible to prevent and reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity in this population.

Acute urinary retention(AUR)occurs frequently among astronauts on orbit.The current treatment is complex and easy to damage the urethra,which seriously affects the life and work of astronauts.In contrast,acupuncture,a traditional Chinese remedy,has shown promising results in managing urinary retention.However,the specific acupoints that could potentially prevent AUR remain uncertain due to the unique physiological conditions experienced by individuals in space compared to those on Earth.To address this gap,our research delved into the mechanisms of AUR and acupuncture within both traditional Chinese medicine and modern medical practices.We conducted a thorough literature review from Pubmed,Web of Science,CNKI,Wanfang database,VIP database and Chinese Medical Code database.A hierarchical evidence-scoring approach was utilized to analyze the included literatures,thus devised acupuncture protocols for the treatment of AUR.The outcomes of our study aim to establish a foundation for the application of acupuncture in managing AUR.

Under the influence of long-term space flights and the confined space environment,it is very easy to induce space depression syndrome,mainly manifested as decreased emotional stability,sleep disorders,mental fatigue,etc.,which seriously affect the living conditions and working abilities of astronauts.The current treatment methods mainly focus on psychological support and drug intervention.Acupuncture has a good effect in treating depression.Therefore,starting from the TCM pathogenesis and modern medical pathogenesis of aerospace depression syndrome,we conducted literature retrieval from databases such as the Chinese Medical Classic,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang,VIP,PubMed,and Web of science.For the included literature,we adopted the stratified evidence scoring method and combined the TCM mechanism and modern medical mechanism of the effect of acupuncture.A prescription for acupuncture points was constructed to provide a basis for selecting acupuncture points for the prevention of aerospace depression syndrome through acupuncture.

BACKGROUND: Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance is a significant challenge in treating glioblastoma (GBM). Collagen remodeling has been shown to be a critical factor for therapy resistance in other cancers. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of TMZ chemoresistance by GBM cells reprogramming collagens. METHODS: Key extracellular matrix components, including collagens, were examined in paired primary and recurrent GBM samples as well as in TMZ-treated spontaneous and grafted GBM murine models. Human GBM cell lines (U251, TS667) and mouse primary GBM cells were used for in vitro studies. RNA-sequencing analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, and co-immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to explore the mechanisms involved in collagen accumulation. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were designed to assess the role of the collagen regulators prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 1 (P4HA1) and yes-associated protein (YAP) in sensitizing GBM cells to TMZ. RESULTS: This study revealed that TMZ exposure significantly elevated collagen type I (COL I) expression in both GBM patients and murine models. Collagen accumulation sustained GBM cell survival under TMZ-induced stress, contributing to enhanced TMZ resistance. Mechanistically, P4HA1 directly binded to and hydroxylated YAP, preventing ubiquitination-mediated YAP degradation. Stabilized YAP robustly drove collagen type I alpha 1 ( COL1A1) transcription, leading to increased collagen deposition. Disruption of the P4HA1-YAP axis effectively reduced COL I deposition, sensitized GBM cells to TMZ, and significantly improved mouse survival. CONCLUSION P4HA1 maintained YAP-mediated COL1A1 transcription, leading to collagen accumulation and promoting chemoresistance in GBM.
Temozolomide ; Humans ; Glioblastoma/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Mice ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics* ; YAP-Signaling Proteins ; Hydroxylation ; Dacarbazine/pharmacology* ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Collagen/biosynthesis* ; Collagen Type I/metabolism* ; Prolyl Hydroxylases/metabolism* ; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/therapeutic use*

INTRODUCTION: Lecanemab has shown promise in treating early Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its safety and efficacy in Chinese populations remain unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and 6-month clinical outcomes of lecanemab in Chinese patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild AD. METHODS: In this single-arm, real-world study, participants with MCI due to AD or mild AD received biweekly intravenous lecanemab (10 mg/kg). The study was conducted at Hainan Branch, Ruijin Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Patient enrollment and baseline assessments commenced in November 2023. Safety assessments included monitoring for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) and other adverse events. Clinical and biomarker changes from baseline to 6 months were evaluated using cognitive scales (mini-mental state examination [MMSE], montreal cognitive assessment [MoCA], clinical dementia rating-sum of boxes [CDR-SB]), plasma biomarker analysis, and advanced neuroimaging. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients were enrolled in this ongoing real-world study. Safety analysis revealed predominantly mild adverse events, with infusion-related reactions (20.3%, 13/64) being the most common. Of these, 69.2% (9/13) occurred during the initial infusion and 84.6% (11/13) did not recur. ARIA-H (microhemorrhages/superficial siderosis) and ARIA-E (edema/effusion) were observed in 9.4% (6/64) and 3.1% (2/64) of participants, respectively, with only two symptomatic cases (one ARIA-E presenting with headache and one ARIA-H with visual disturbances). After 6 months of treatment, cognitive scores remained stable compared to baseline (MMSE: 22.33 ± 5.58 vs . 21.27 ± 4.30, P = 0.733; MoCA: 16.38 ± 6.67 vs . 15.90 ± 4.78, P = 0.785; CDR-SB: 2.30 ± 1.65 vs . 3.16 ± 1.72, P = 0.357), while significantly increasing plasma amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) (+21.42%) and Aβ40 (+23.53%) levels compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Lecanemab demonstrated a favorable safety profile in Chinese patients with early AD. Cognitive stability and biomarker changes over 6 months suggest potential efficacy, though high dropout rates and absence of a control group warrant cautious interpretation. These findings provide preliminary real-world evidence for lecanemab's use in China, supporting further investigation in larger controlled studies. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT07034222.
Humans ; Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy* ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Biomarkers ; East Asian People

Guided by the theory of "the kidney storing essence, governing the bones, and producing marrow", this study explored the mechanism of icariin(ICA) in regulating the osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) through caveolin-1(Cav1) via in vitro and in vivo experiments, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Primary cells were obtained from 4-week-old female SD rats using the whole bone marrow adherent method. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of surface markers CD29, CD90, CD11b, and CD45. The potential for osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation was assessed. The effect of ICA on cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay, and the impact of ICA on the formation of mineralized nodules was verified by alizarin red staining. A stable Cav1-silenced cell line was constructed using lentivirus. The effect of Cav1 silencing on osteogenic differentiation was observed via alizarin red staining. Western blot analysis was conducted to detect the expression of Cav1, Hippo/TAZ, and osteogenic markers such as Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP). The results showed that primary cells were successfully obtained using the whole bone marrow adherent method, positively expressing surface markers of rat BMSCs and possessing the potential for both osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. The CCK-8 assay and alizarin red staining results indicated that 1×10~(-7) mol·L~(-1) was the optimal concentration of ICA for intervention in this experiment(P<0.05). During osteogenic induction, ICA inhibited Cav1 expression(P<0.05) while promoting TAZ expression(P<0.05). Alizarin red staining demonstrated that Cav1 silencing significantly promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. After ICA intervention, TAZ expression was activated, and the expression of osteogenic markers ALP and RUNX2 was increased. In conclusion, Cav1 silencing significantly promotes the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, and ICA promotes this differentiation by inhibiting Cav1 and regulating the Hippo/TAZ signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Caveolin 1/genetics* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Female ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/administration & dosage* ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans

This study employed the "disease-medicine-dose" pattern to mine the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions containing Astragali Radix in ancient Chinese medical books, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines. The TCM prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were retrieved from databases such as Chinese Medical Dictionary and imported into Excel 2020 to construct the prescription library. Statical analysis were performed for the prescriptions regarding the indications, syndromes, medicine use frequency, herb effects, nature and taste, meridian tropism, dosage forms, and dose. SPSS statistics 26.0 and IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used for association rules analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 2 297 prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were collected, involving 233 indications, among which sore and ulcer, consumptive disease, sweating disorder, and apoplexy had high frequency(>25), and their syndromes were mainly Qi and blood deficiency, Qi and blood deficiency, Yin and Yang deficiency, and Qi deficiency and collateral obstruction, respectively. In the prescriptions, 98 medicines were used with the frequency >25 and they mainly included Qi-tonifying medicines and blood-tonifying medicines. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium were frequently used. The medicines with high frequency mainly have warm or cold nature, and sweet, pungent, or bitter taste, with tropism to spleen, lung, heart, liver, and kidney meridians. In the treatment of sore and ulcer, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to promote granulation and heal up sores. In the treatment of consumptive disease, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 37.30 g and combined with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma to tonify deficiency and replenish Qi. In the treatment of sweating disorder, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to consolidate exterior and stop sweating. In the treatment of apoplexy, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 7.46 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to dispell wind and stop convulsions. Astragali Radix can be used in the treatment of multiple system diseases, with the effects of tonifying Qi and ascending Yang, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and expressing toxin and promoting granulation. According to the manifestations of different diseases, when combined with other medicines, Astragali Radix was endowed with the effects of promoting granulation and healing up sores, tonifying deficiency and Qi, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and dispelling wind and replenishing Qi. The findings provide a theoretical reference and a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history* ; History, Ancient ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; China ; Astragalus propinquus