BACKGROUND:Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass,strength,and/or physical function.Currently,effective treatments for sarcopenia remain limited.A new therapeutic approach to improve symptoms and prognosis of sarcopenia patients clinically was important.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on a dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia in mice.METHODS:Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured from canine adipose tissue,and identified and functionally evaluated through flow cytometry and differentiation assays for osteogenesis,adipogenesis,and chondrogenesis.Subsequently,exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were extracted and characterized using transmission electron microscopy,western blot assay,and nanocoulter tracking analysis.In vitro,the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on myotube growth and the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes were investigated using dexamethasone-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy and aging C2C12 models.In vivo,a dexamethasone-induced mouse sarcopenia model was established and received intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.Therapeutic efficacy was assessed through mouse rotarod performance,histopathological analysis,and muscle atrophy-related genes testing.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The isolated canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells highly expressed CD73,CD90,and CD105,and lowly expressed MHC-Ⅱ,CD14,CD19,CD34,and CD45,and successfully differentiated into osteoblasts,adipocytes,and chondrocytes in vitro.(2)The adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes met the identification criteria in terms of particle size,electron microscopy morphology,and positive expression of specific markers.(3)Compared to the dexamethasone-induced C2C12 atrophy group,treatment with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted the recovery and growth of myotubes,inhibited the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes MuRF1 and Atrogin-1.(4)Compared to the aging C2C12 group,adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes significantly enhanced the recovery and growth of aged muscle tubes in aging cells.(5)Compared to the control group,the rotarod time in dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia model mice was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).After 7 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.01)and 10 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.05)of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells treatment via intraperitoneal and intravenous injection,rotarod time was significantly increased,respectively.After 14 days,all treatment groups showed longer rotarod times than the model group,although with no significant differences between them.(6)Compared to the control group,the cross-sectional area of anterior tibial muscle in the model group was significantly reduced(P＜0.01),and it was significantly increased after intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).(7)Compared to the model group,intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin-1 genes(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01).The results indicated that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted recovery and growth of atrophic myotube cells by inhibiting the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes,and both intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells provided good therapeutic effects on sarcopenia in mice.

BACKGROUND:Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass,strength,and/or physical function.Currently,effective treatments for sarcopenia remain limited.A new therapeutic approach to improve symptoms and prognosis of sarcopenia patients clinically was important.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on a dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia in mice.METHODS:Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured from canine adipose tissue,and identified and functionally evaluated through flow cytometry and differentiation assays for osteogenesis,adipogenesis,and chondrogenesis.Subsequently,exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were extracted and characterized using transmission electron microscopy,western blot assay,and nanocoulter tracking analysis.In vitro,the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on myotube growth and the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes were investigated using dexamethasone-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy and aging C2C12 models.In vivo,a dexamethasone-induced mouse sarcopenia model was established and received intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.Therapeutic efficacy was assessed through mouse rotarod performance,histopathological analysis,and muscle atrophy-related genes testing.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The isolated canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells highly expressed CD73,CD90,and CD105,and lowly expressed MHC-Ⅱ,CD14,CD19,CD34,and CD45,and successfully differentiated into osteoblasts,adipocytes,and chondrocytes in vitro.(2)The adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes met the identification criteria in terms of particle size,electron microscopy morphology,and positive expression of specific markers.(3)Compared to the dexamethasone-induced C2C12 atrophy group,treatment with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted the recovery and growth of myotubes,inhibited the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes MuRF1 and Atrogin-1.(4)Compared to the aging C2C12 group,adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes significantly enhanced the recovery and growth of aged muscle tubes in aging cells.(5)Compared to the control group,the rotarod time in dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia model mice was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).After 7 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.01)and 10 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.05)of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells treatment via intraperitoneal and intravenous injection,rotarod time was significantly increased,respectively.After 14 days,all treatment groups showed longer rotarod times than the model group,although with no significant differences between them.(6)Compared to the control group,the cross-sectional area of anterior tibial muscle in the model group was significantly reduced(P＜0.01),and it was significantly increased after intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).(7)Compared to the model group,intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin-1 genes(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01).The results indicated that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted recovery and growth of atrophic myotube cells by inhibiting the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes,and both intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells provided good therapeutic effects on sarcopenia in mice.

Ulcerative colitis （UC）， a chronic nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by unclear etiology， complex contributing factors， and a refractory course with malignant transformation potential， imposes a substantial burden on both individual patients and healthcare systems. There is an urgent need to explore effective therapeutic strategies and pharmacological interventions. Professor LIU Zhen， based on years of clinical practice， proposed a dynamic pathogenesis chain of UC： Spleen deficiency with dampness excess as the foundation， dampness obstruction as the nexus， stasis-toxin interaction as the key， and stasis-toxin damaging intestinal collaterals as the terminal outcome. The treatment， following the progression of deficiency （depression）-dampness-toxin-stasis （toxin）， should focus on invigorating the spleen and resolving dampness. A stage-specific treatment approach is emphasized. During the susceptible stage， prevention is recommended， which relies on regulating the diet， maintaining a positive mental state， and adjusting daily routines to invigorate the spleen and replenish Qi. During the acute attack and remission stages， the treatment should be tailored according to clinical typing and disease severity， flexibly employing therapeutic strategies such as tonifying deficiency， resolving depression， eliminating dampness， clearing heat， detoxifying， arresting bleeding， and resolving stasis in order to interrupt disease progression. In the recovery stage， latent pathogenic factors should be addressed while the postnatal constitutional foundation be preserved to prevent recurrence. According to the TCM principle of treating disease before its onset， a whole-course management path of early protection-interception-stratified care-consolidation has been developed， covering all stages of UC， to inform its clinical prevention and treatment.

Objective To investigate the five-circuit and six-qi features at conception and at birth in the patients with endometrial cancer.Methods From June 2020 to August 2024,the information about the conception time and birth time of 1 099 patients with endometrial cancer admitted to Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences was collected from the electronic medical record system.The circuit-qi information at conception and at birth of the patients was statistically analyzed,and then the congenital endowment characteristics of the patients were explored.Results The results showed that most of the patients suffering endometrial cancer were born in winter,and the dominant qi at birth of the patients was predominated by taiyang cold-water,and the differences of the distribution of dominant qi at birth were statistically significant(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the distribution of yearly circuit,guest qi,and sitian-zaiquan at birth,and in the distribution of seasons,yearly circuit,dominant qi,guest qi,and sitian-zaiquan at conception(P＞0.05),and only an obvious trend of differences was presented.Conclusion There is a certain correlation between the prevalence of endometrial cancer and the five-circuit and six-qi features at conception and at birth.The congenital endowment of patients with endometrial cancer is characterized by yang deficiency with predominant coldness,and the prevalence is related to jueyin wind wood.

Objective To investigate traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome characteristics associated with immunotherapy efficacy in cervical cancer using propensity score matching(PSM),aiming to identify the population benefiting from immunotherapy.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted in 253 cervical cancer patients,who received the treatment with programmed death receptor 1(PD-1)inhibitors at Guang'anmen Hospital,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2020 to October 2024.Clinical data and TCM four-examination data were collected.After balancing the confounders via PSM(1∶1 matching)and with therapeutic efficacy as the dependent variable,multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndrome in the immunotherapy-response group and then a predictive model was constructed.Results(1)After matching with PSM,198 cases were included,99 cases in response group and 99 cases in non-response group.(2)Analysis of the distribution of TCM syndrome elements showed that the differences in the pathogenic syndrome elements of qi deficiency,qi stagnation,blood stasis,heat and phlegm between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),while there were no statistically significant differences in the disease-location syndrome elements of uterus,kidneys,lungs,spleen,liver,and heart,as well as in the pathogenic syndrome elements of blood deficiency,yin deficiency,yang deficiency,cold,and dampness(P＞0.05).The main pathogenic syndrome elements in the response group were qi deficiency,blood deficiency and heat,while those in the non-response group were qi stagnation,heat and phlegm.(3)The results of univariate regression analysis showed that targeted therapy(P=0.040),programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression level(P＜0.001),qi deficiency(P=0.009),blood deficiency(P＜0.001),yang deficiency(P＜0.001),yin deficiency(P＜0.001),qi stagnation(P=0.003),blood stasis(P＜0.001),cold(P＜0.001),cold(P＜0.001),heat(P＜0.001),phlegm(P＜0.001),and dampness(P＜0.001)were the factors associated with the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors.(4)The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that previous targeted therapy(OR=0.36,95%CI:0.16-0.83)and pathogenic syndrome elements of qi stagnation(OR=0.23,95%CI:0.10-0.49),phlegm(OR=0.28,95%CI:0.13-0.61)were the risk factors of associated with the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors,while PD-L1 expression level(OR=15.27,95%CI:2.60-89.63),and pathogenic syndrome element qi deficiency(OR=2.90,95%CI:1.42-5.89)were the protective factors associated with the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in cervical cancer.(5)Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the predictive model for evaluating PD-1 inhibitor efficacy in cervical cancer was 0.78(95%CI:0.71-0.84),indicating certain predictive value.Conclusion PD-L1 expression level and TCM pathogenic syndrome elements such as qi deficiency,qi stagnation,and phlegm are the independent factors influencing PD-1 inhibitor efficacy in cervical cancer,providing insights for optimizing integrated TCM-western medicine treatment strategies.

Nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF), predominantly affecting the elderly, can lead to intractable pain, vertebral collapse, progressive kyphotic deformity, and neurological impairment, significantly compromising patients′ quality of life. There exists considerable debate on diagnosis and management of OVF, encompassing key issues such as clinical diagnosis and staging criteria for nonunion, surgical indications and procedure selection, and postoperative rehabilitation planning. Currently, there lacks standardized clinical guideline and expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of OVF nonunion in China. To address this gap, Minimally Invasive Surgery Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association, Osteoporosis Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for Osteoporosis of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Branch of China Association for Geriatric Care jointly organized domestic experts in spinal surgery, endocrinology, and rehabilitation to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment for nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures ( version 2025), based on existing literature and clinical experience and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and practicality. The guideline provided 13 evidence-based recommendations encompassing diagnosis and treatment of OVF nonunion, aiming to standardize its clinical management.

ObjectiveTo analyze the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome elements in patients with immune-related adverse events （irAEs） associated with malignant tumor immunotherapy and to explore the influencing factors for the occurrence of irAEs. MethodsClinical data were retrospectively collected from malignant tumor patients treated with programmed death-1 （PD-1） inhibitors， including demographic information， tumor history， duration of immunotherapy， occurrence of irAEs， types and grades of irAEs （G1-G5）， and TCM four-diagnostic information. Patients were divided into irAEs group and the non-irAEs group based on the occurrence of irAEs. Propensity score matching （PSM） at a 1∶2 ratio was performed to balance baseline characteristics between groups. Syndrome elements before treatment and cumulative contributions of syndrome elements before and after irAEs onset were evaluated using the "Syndrome Elements Differentiation Scale". Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with the occurrence of irAEs. The use of glucocorticoids in the irAEs group was also analyzed. ResultsAfter 1∶2 matching， 59 patients were included in the irAEs group and 118 were in the non-irAEs group. No statistically significant differences were found between groups in terms of age， gender， primary tumor site， pathological type， or tumor stage （P＞0.05）. Patients in the non-irAEs group were more likely to have received targeted therapy， while the irAEs group had a longer duration of immunotherapy and a higher rate of positive programmed death-ligand 1 （PD-L1） expression （P＜0.05）. In total， 72 irAEs events occurred among 59 patients， with an overall incidence rate of 19.4% （59/304） and a grade 3~5 incidence rate of 6.8% （4/59）， mainly presenting as cardiotoxicity， nephrotoxicity， and pneumotoxicity.Before immunotherapy， the top three syndrome elements in the irAEs group were spleen （71.2%， 42/59）， kidney （42.4%， 25/59）， and lung （39.0%， 23/59）. For the pathogenic nature elements， yin deficiency （52.5%， 31/59）， phlegm （40.7%， 24/59）， and dampness （35.6%， 21/59） ranked highest. Compared to the non-irAEs group， the distribution of spleen， kidney， liver， yin deficiency， and qi deficiency elements showed significant differences in the irAEs group （P＜0.05）. After the occurrence of irAEs， the cumulative contributions of spleen， lung， stomach， heart， yin deficiency， qi deficiency， and yang hyperactivity elements increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that duration of immunotherapy， spleen syndrome element， kidney syndrome element， liver syndrome element， yin deficiency element， and qi deficiency element were independent risk factors for irAEs （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Among the irAEs patients， 15 received glucocorticoid combined with TCM treatment， while 6 received glucocorticoid therapy alone. Patients receiving combined treatment required lower doses and shorter courses of glucocorticoids compared to those treated with glucocorticoids alone （P＜0.05）. ConclusionIn malignant tumor patients， spleen， kidney， lung， yin deficiency， phlegm， dampness， and qi deficiency are the predominant syndrome elements before and after the occurrence of irAEs. However， elements such as heat and qi stagnation significantly increase after irAEs onset. Duration of immunotherapy， spleen， kidney， liver syndrome elements， yin deficiency， and qi deficiency are independent risk factors for the development of irAEs.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms distinguishing metabolically healthy from unhealthy phenotypes within the same BMI categories remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between regional fat distribution and metabolically unhealthy phenotypes in Chinese adults across different BMI categories. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involving 11833 Chinese adults aged 20 years and older. Covariance analysis, adjusted for age, compared the percentage of regional fat (trunk, leg, or arm fat divided by whole-body fat) between metabolically healthy and unhealthy participants. Trends in regional fat percentage with the number of metabolic abnormalities were assessed by the Jonckheere-Terpstra test. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by logistic regression models. All analyses were performed separately by sex. RESULTS: In non-obese individuals, metabolically unhealthy participants exhibited higher percent trunk fat and lower percent leg fat compared to healthy participants. Additionally, percent trunk fat increased and percent leg fat decreased with the number of metabolic abnormalities. After adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors, as well as BMI, higher percent trunk fat was associated with increased odds of being metabolically unhealthy [highest vs. lowest quartile: ORs (95%CI) of 1.64 (1.35, 2.00) for men and 2.00 (1.63, 2.46) for women]. Conversely, compared with the lowest quartile, the ORs (95%CI) of metabolically unhealthy phenotype in the highest quartile for percent arm and leg fat were 0.64 (0.53, 0.78) and 0.60 (0.49, 0.74) for men, and 0.72 (0.56, 0.93) and 0.46 (0.36, 0.59) for women, respectively. Significant interactions between BMI and percentage of trunk and leg fat were observed in both sexes, with stronger associations found in individuals with normal weight and overweight. CONCLUSIONS Trunk fat is associated with a higher risk of metabolically unhealthy phenotype, while leg and arm fat are protective factors. Regional fat distribution assessments are crucial for identifying metabolically unhealthy phenotypes, particularly in non-obese individuals.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Adipose Tissue ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Surveys ; Phenotype

Nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF), predominantly affecting the elderly, can lead to intractable pain, vertebral collapse, progressive kyphotic deformity, and neurological impairment, significantly compromising patients′ quality of life. There exists considerable debate on diagnosis and management of OVF, encompassing key issues such as clinical diagnosis and staging criteria for nonunion, surgical indications and procedure selection, and postoperative rehabilitation planning. Currently, there lacks standardized clinical guideline and expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of OVF nonunion in China. To address this gap, Minimally Invasive Surgery Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association, Osteoporosis Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for Osteoporosis of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Branch of China Association for Geriatric Care jointly organized domestic experts in spinal surgery, endocrinology, and rehabilitation to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment for nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures ( version 2025), based on existing literature and clinical experience and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and practicality. The guideline provided 13 evidence-based recommendations encompassing diagnosis and treatment of OVF nonunion, aiming to standardize its clinical management.

Objectives:To explore the impact of intensive lipid-lowering strategy on short-term prognosis of acute coronary syndrome(ACS)patients with multi-vessel disease. Methods:A total of 136 ACS patients with multi-vessel disease who received coronary stenting at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from August 2019 to November 2020 were enrolled in this study.Patients were divided into intensive lipid-lowering group(control low density lipoprotein cholesterol[LDL-C]below 1.0 mmol/L within 3 months,and continuously meet the standards within 12 months,n=69)or standard lipid-lowering group(gradually control LDL-C below 1.4 mmol/L within one year,n=67).The total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),LDL-C,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and lipoprotein(a)(Lp[a])data were collected.Incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE,including cardiac death,myocardial infarction,target vessel revascularization and stroke)were observed during 12 months of follow up. Results:The baseline data of the intensive lipid-lowering group and the standard lipid-lowering group were consistent before intervention.At the timeline of enrollment,there was no statistically significant difference in the blood lipid profiles(including TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C)between the two groups.After 3-months,patients in the intensive lipid-lowering group experienced significantly lower TC,TG,LDL-C and Lp(a)compared with baseline values(all P<0.05),while HDL-C remained unchanged(P>0.05).The standard lipid-lowering group showed a significant decrease in TC and LDL-C compared with baseline values(both P<0.05).The TC and LDL-C levels were significantly lower in the intensive lipid-lowering group than in the standard lipid-lowering group at 3/6/12 months follow up after discharge(all P<0.01).At 12 months follow-up,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the incidence of MACE was significantly lower in the intensive lipid-lowering group than in the standard lipid-lowering group(2.90%vs.14.93%,χ2=6.090,P=0.014).Multiple Cox regression analysis revealed that the intensive lipid-lowering strategy significantly reduced the risk of MACE compared with the standard lipid-lowering strategy(HR=0.177,95%CI:0.037-0.838,P=0.029). Conclusions:Our data show that intensive lipid-lowering strategy may probably reduce the incidence of short-term MACE in ASC patients with multi-vessel disease.Large-scale prospective multi-center studies are needed to further validate these results.