Objective To analyze the disease burden,changing trends,and differences of atrial fibrillation(AF)/atrial flutter(AFL)globally and in China and Japan from 1990 to 2021,and to predict their future trends,aiming to provide references for health decision-making.Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease Study Database 2021(GBD 2021),we extracted age-standardized prevalence rate(ASPR)and age-standardized disability-adjusted life year rate(ASDALYR)data for AF/AFL by sex globally,in China,and Japan.The estimated annual percentage change(EAPC)was used to assess the trends.Joinpoint regression analysis and the Bayesian age-period-cohort(BAPC)model were employed for trend analysis and prediction.Results From 1990 to 2021,the ASPR and ASDALYR for AF/AFL in males were increased significantly globally,with EAPC of 0.05(95%CI:0.01～0.08)and 0.09(95%CI:0.08～0.11),respectively.Changes were significantly declined in females,with EAPC of-0.11(95%CI:-0.14～-0.07)and-0.10(95%CI:-0.12～-0.07).In China,the ASPR for AF/AFL were increased in both males and females,with those of males more notably(EAPC=0.77,95%CI:0.65～0.88).However,the ASDALYR for AF/AFL showed gender divergence,with an increase in males(EAPC=0.40,95%CI:0.30～0.49)while a decrease in females(EAPC=-0.55,95%CI:-0.67～-0.44).In Japan,both the ASPR and ASDALYR for males and females showed continuous declines,and the reduction was more pronounced among females(ASPR EAPC=-1.77,95%CI:-2.32～-1.22;ASDALYR EAPC=-1.73,95%CI:-2.11～-1.35).Joinpoint regression analysis showed that from 1990 to 2021,for the ASDALYR of AF/AFL,the average annual percentage change(AAPC)was 0.28%(P<0.001)for Chinese males and-0.37%(P<0.001)for Chinese females,while the AAPC was-0.70%(P<0.001)and-1.43%(P<0.001)for Japanese males and females.BAPC model revealed that by 2036,the ASDALYR for Chinese males is predicted to increase from 91.45 per 100 000 in 2022 to 101.11 per 100 000,and for females is from 88.85 per 100 000 to 100.98 per 100 000.For Japanese males,the ASDALYR is projected to increase slightly from 88.79 to 89.86 per 100 000,while for females,it is projected decrease slightly from 41.13 to 39.67 per 100 000,indicating only minor fluctuations in the ASDALYR for both Japanese males and females.Conclusion The disease burden of AF/AFL continues to increase globally and in China.So,Japan's lifestyle and health policies are worth considering,and more scientific and effective public health policies and clinical intervention strategies should be formulated and implemented.Countermeasure The relevant government agencies should promote the transformation of the food industry through the policy-market mechanism,carry out activities related to national health management,and continuously optimize the AF/AFL management model of medical and health institutions to effectively cope with this disease burden change.

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*

Aim To explore the mechanism of the syn-ergistic effect of the ferroptosis inducer erastin com-bined with shikonin in promoting ferroptosis in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts(HSFBs).Methods Hypertrophic scar tissues provided by the General Hos-pital of Ningxia Medical University were collected,and HSFBs were extracted.HSFBs were identified by HE staining and immunofluorescence.The inhibitory rates of Era and SHK on HSFBs at different concentrations were detected by CCK-8 assay,and the IC50 value was calculated.CompuSyn software was used to calculate the co-use index(CI).Control group,Erastin(Era)group,shikonin(SHK)group and Era+SHK group were set up,and the number and morphological chan-ges of cells were observed after 24 hours of interven-tion.The ability of cell migration and invasion was de-tected by scratch test and Transwell test.The changes of malondialdehyde(MDA),total iron ion and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were detected by corresponding biochemical kits.The expressions of collagen I,α-SMA and GOT1,SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH1 were detected by Western blot.Results The IC50 value of Era and SHK of primary HSFBs was 2.22 μmol·L-1 and 3.94μmol·L-1 respectively,which was used as the single drug concentration for subsequent experiments.The CompuSyn software was employed to calculate the CI value when the two drugs were used in combination,and the concentrations corresponding to CI=0.39597(Era:1.2 μmol·L-1+SHK:1.5 μmol·L-1)were selected as subsequent combination concentrations(Because when CI was equal to 0.395 97,the concen-tration of each drug was lower than the concentration of single drug,and the inhibition rate of combined drug was greater than 50％).Compared with the monother-apy group,the number of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group was significantly reduced,cell membrane showed breakage and vesiculation,cell wrinkling became smal-ler,and cytoplasm was concentrated.The migration and invasion ability of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group were obviously weakened(P＜0.05),and the expres-sion of fibrosis-related proteins collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA was reduced(P＜0.05);the contents of MDA,total i-ron ions,and ROS in HSFBs of the SHK+Era group increased(P＜0.05),and the protein expression lev-els of SLC7A11,GOT1,GPX4,and FTH1 further de-creased(P＜0.05).Conclusions Erastin in combi-nation with shikonin can synergistically inhibit the pro-liferation,migration and fibrosis levels of HSFBs.The mechanism may be that erastin enhances the inhibition of shikotin on GOT1,increases the levels of cellular i-ron ions,ROS,and lipid peroxides,thereby promoting ferroptosis in HSFBs.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Aim To investigate the mechanism by which sufentanil(Suf)improved hypoxia-reoxygen-ation(H/R)-induced myocardial cell injury by regula-ting hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)and KC-NQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1(Kcnq1ot1).Methods Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the interaction between HIF-1αand Kcnq1ot1.Subsequently,H9c2 cells were divided into multiple treatment groups:Ctrl group,H/R group,and Suf group.Further grouping was based on different transfection conditions,including oe-HIF-1α group,oe-HIF-1α+Suf group,sh-HIF-1α group,and sh-HIF-1α+Kcnq1ot1 group.Cell viability was detected u-sing the MTT assay,cell apoptosis was detected using the TUNEL assay,and the concentrations of CK-MB and HBDH in cell supernatants were measured using ELISA.HIF-1α protein expression in cellswas deter-mined by Western blot,and the mRNA expression level of Kcnq1ot1 was measured by reverse transcription quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).Additionally,a rat model of myocardial is chemia reperfusion was con-structed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Suf for myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in vivo.Results The results of bioinformatics analysis showed a direct interaction between HIF-1α and Kcnq1ot1.Compared with the Ctrl group,the H/R group showed significantly reduced H9c2 cell viability,increased cell apoptosis,and significantly upregulated concentrations of CK-MB and HBDH,along with significantly enhanced expres-sion of HIF-1α and Kcnq1ot1(all P＜0.05).When H9c2 cells were transfected with oe-HIF-1 α,cell via-bility further decreased,apoptosis was worsened,and CK-MB and HBDH concentrations further increased(all P＜0.05);however,these adverse effects were significantly inhibited when combined with Suf inter-vention(all P＜0.05).Additionally,compared with the H/R group,the sh-HIF-1α group showed signifi-cantly improved cell viability,reduced apoptosis and decreased CK-MB and HBDH concentrations(all P＜0.05);however,these improvements were partially re-versed upon transfection with Kcnq1ot1(all P＜0.05).Animal experiments confirmed that Suf could improve myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in myo-cardial ischemia-reperfusion injury rats.Conclusions Suf improves myocardial H/R injury by inhibiting the HIF-1α-Kcnq1ot1.

This study analyzed the demographic characteristics and clinically significant inflammatory index changes in listeriosis cases in China from 2010 to 2023.The aim was to understand Listeria monocytogenes susceptibility,to provide a reference for listeriosis prevention and control.Records in three Chinese databases—the China Knowledge Network,Wanfang Database,and VIP Database—from January 1,2010,to December 31,2023,were searched.Statistical analysis was conducted on the clinical features and epidemiological information for all identified cases.A total of 693 cases of listeriosis were included:482 occurring during the perinatal period and 211 occurring outside the perinatal period.The average mortality rate was 17.2%(119/693).The predominant clinical manifestations of listeriosis in neonatal patients during the perinatal period were sepsis(75.5%,241/319)and meningitis(41.1%,131/319).The mortality rate among neonatal patients was 27.1%(76/280).In patients in the non-perinatal period,meningitis(70.1%,148/211)and sepsis(43.6%,92/211)were the main clinical manifestations,and the average patient age was 47.2 years.Among patients of known age,the highest prevalence was observed in the 40-64 year age group,which accounted for 44.9%(44/98).Sixty-one cases had no other underlying diseases before infection.Reported cases of listeriosis occurred in 27 provinces(municipalities,and autonomous region)in China,and Beijing reported the most cases,accounting for 23.7%(164/693).L.monocytogenes was sensitive to β-lactam drug treatment but showed differing degrees of drug resistance.Among 145 cases,12 were resistant to penicillin,and 16 were resistant to oxacillin.Listeriosis is a foodborne disease with a high mortality rate,particularly among neonates.With the continuing emergence of drug-resistant strains,standardizing and strengthening prevention and treatment measures for this disease as early as possible are essential.

This study analyzed the demographic characteristics and clinically significant inflammatory index changes in listeriosis cases in China from 2010 to 2023.The aim was to understand Listeria monocytogenes susceptibility,to provide a reference for listeriosis prevention and control.Records in three Chinese databases—the China Knowledge Network,Wanfang Database,and VIP Database—from January 1,2010,to December 31,2023,were searched.Statistical analysis was conducted on the clinical features and epidemiological information for all identified cases.A total of 693 cases of listeriosis were included:482 occurring during the perinatal period and 211 occurring outside the perinatal period.The average mortality rate was 17.2%(119/693).The predominant clinical manifestations of listeriosis in neonatal patients during the perinatal period were sepsis(75.5%,241/319)and meningitis(41.1%,131/319).The mortality rate among neonatal patients was 27.1%(76/280).In patients in the non-perinatal period,meningitis(70.1%,148/211)and sepsis(43.6%,92/211)were the main clinical manifestations,and the average patient age was 47.2 years.Among patients of known age,the highest prevalence was observed in the 40-64 year age group,which accounted for 44.9%(44/98).Sixty-one cases had no other underlying diseases before infection.Reported cases of listeriosis occurred in 27 provinces(municipalities,and autonomous region)in China,and Beijing reported the most cases,accounting for 23.7%(164/693).L.monocytogenes was sensitive to β-lactam drug treatment but showed differing degrees of drug resistance.Among 145 cases,12 were resistant to penicillin,and 16 were resistant to oxacillin.Listeriosis is a foodborne disease with a high mortality rate,particularly among neonates.With the continuing emergence of drug-resistant strains,standardizing and strengthening prevention and treatment measures for this disease as early as possible are essential.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Aim To investigate the mechanism by which sufentanil(Suf)improved hypoxia-reoxygen-ation(H/R)-induced myocardial cell injury by regula-ting hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)and KC-NQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1(Kcnq1ot1).Methods Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the interaction between HIF-1αand Kcnq1ot1.Subsequently,H9c2 cells were divided into multiple treatment groups:Ctrl group,H/R group,and Suf group.Further grouping was based on different transfection conditions,including oe-HIF-1α group,oe-HIF-1α+Suf group,sh-HIF-1α group,and sh-HIF-1α+Kcnq1ot1 group.Cell viability was detected u-sing the MTT assay,cell apoptosis was detected using the TUNEL assay,and the concentrations of CK-MB and HBDH in cell supernatants were measured using ELISA.HIF-1α protein expression in cellswas deter-mined by Western blot,and the mRNA expression level of Kcnq1ot1 was measured by reverse transcription quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).Additionally,a rat model of myocardial is chemia reperfusion was con-structed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Suf for myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in vivo.Results The results of bioinformatics analysis showed a direct interaction between HIF-1α and Kcnq1ot1.Compared with the Ctrl group,the H/R group showed significantly reduced H9c2 cell viability,increased cell apoptosis,and significantly upregulated concentrations of CK-MB and HBDH,along with significantly enhanced expres-sion of HIF-1α and Kcnq1ot1(all P＜0.05).When H9c2 cells were transfected with oe-HIF-1 α,cell via-bility further decreased,apoptosis was worsened,and CK-MB and HBDH concentrations further increased(all P＜0.05);however,these adverse effects were significantly inhibited when combined with Suf inter-vention(all P＜0.05).Additionally,compared with the H/R group,the sh-HIF-1α group showed signifi-cantly improved cell viability,reduced apoptosis and decreased CK-MB and HBDH concentrations(all P＜0.05);however,these improvements were partially re-versed upon transfection with Kcnq1ot1(all P＜0.05).Animal experiments confirmed that Suf could improve myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in myo-cardial ischemia-reperfusion injury rats.Conclusions Suf improves myocardial H/R injury by inhibiting the HIF-1α-Kcnq1ot1.

Aim To explore the mechanism of the syn-ergistic effect of the ferroptosis inducer erastin com-bined with shikonin in promoting ferroptosis in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts(HSFBs).Methods Hypertrophic scar tissues provided by the General Hos-pital of Ningxia Medical University were collected,and HSFBs were extracted.HSFBs were identified by HE staining and immunofluorescence.The inhibitory rates of Era and SHK on HSFBs at different concentrations were detected by CCK-8 assay,and the IC50 value was calculated.CompuSyn software was used to calculate the co-use index(CI).Control group,Erastin(Era)group,shikonin(SHK)group and Era+SHK group were set up,and the number and morphological chan-ges of cells were observed after 24 hours of interven-tion.The ability of cell migration and invasion was de-tected by scratch test and Transwell test.The changes of malondialdehyde(MDA),total iron ion and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were detected by corresponding biochemical kits.The expressions of collagen I,α-SMA and GOT1,SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH1 were detected by Western blot.Results The IC50 value of Era and SHK of primary HSFBs was 2.22 μmol·L-1 and 3.94μmol·L-1 respectively,which was used as the single drug concentration for subsequent experiments.The CompuSyn software was employed to calculate the CI value when the two drugs were used in combination,and the concentrations corresponding to CI=0.39597(Era:1.2 μmol·L-1+SHK:1.5 μmol·L-1)were selected as subsequent combination concentrations(Because when CI was equal to 0.395 97,the concen-tration of each drug was lower than the concentration of single drug,and the inhibition rate of combined drug was greater than 50％).Compared with the monother-apy group,the number of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group was significantly reduced,cell membrane showed breakage and vesiculation,cell wrinkling became smal-ler,and cytoplasm was concentrated.The migration and invasion ability of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group were obviously weakened(P＜0.05),and the expres-sion of fibrosis-related proteins collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA was reduced(P＜0.05);the contents of MDA,total i-ron ions,and ROS in HSFBs of the SHK+Era group increased(P＜0.05),and the protein expression lev-els of SLC7A11,GOT1,GPX4,and FTH1 further de-creased(P＜0.05).Conclusions Erastin in combi-nation with shikonin can synergistically inhibit the pro-liferation,migration and fibrosis levels of HSFBs.The mechanism may be that erastin enhances the inhibition of shikotin on GOT1,increases the levels of cellular i-ron ions,ROS,and lipid peroxides,thereby promoting ferroptosis in HSFBs.