Objective To examine the anti-central-fatigue function of maca and its underlying mechanism.Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into a negative control group,model control group,and low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups(0.6,1.2,and 2.4 g/kg·body weight).Rats in all groups except the negative control group were subjected to multi-factor stimulation,including cold-water swimming,sleep deprivation,restraining,and tail-clamping,to establish central fatigue rat models.Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups received 0.6,1.2,or 2.4 g/kg maca,respectively,by gavage for 35 days.Behavioral testing was carried out using the Morris water-maze,sucrose-preference,and tail-suspension tests.Markers of oxidative stress in the hippocampus,including superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and catalase(CAT),were detected using test kits.Proteins connected with the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/sirtuin 1(SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α(PGC-1α)signaling pathway in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Results Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups spent significantly more time in the target quadrant compared with the model control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),but there was no significant dose-effect relationship.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed decreased escape latency(P＜0.05),increased time crossing the platform location(P＜0.05),increased sucrose preference(P＜0.05),decreased tail suspension time(P＜0.05),increased the activities of CAT(P＜0.01)and SOD(P＜0.05),and decreased MDA content(P＜0.01).Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups also showed significantly increased protein expression levels of AMPK and nuclear respiratory factor 1(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05),but no significant dose-effect relationship was observed.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed increased protein expression of PGC-1α(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and rats in the high-dose maca group showed increased protein expression of SIRT1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusions Maca can improve the indicators of central fatigue in rats,determined by behavioral testing and oxidative stress-related factors.The underlying mechanism may be related to its regulatory effects on the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Hypertrophic scar is a fibrous hyperplastic disorder that arises from skin injuries. The current therapeutic modalities are constrained by the dense and rigid scar tissue which impedes effective drug delivery. Additionally, insufficient autophagic activity in fibroblasts hinders their apoptosis, leading to excessive matrix deposition. Here, we developed an active microneedle (MN) system to overcome these challenges by integrating micromotor-driven drug delivery with autophagy regulation to remodel the scar microenvironment. Specifically, sodium bicarbonate and citric acid were introduced into the MNs as a built-in engine to generate CO₂ bubbles, thereby enabling enhanced lateral and vertical drug diffusion into dense scar tissue. The system concurrently encapsulated curcumin (Cur), an autophagy activator, and triamcinolone acetonide (TA), synergistically inducing fibroblast apoptosis by upregulating autophagic activity. In vitro studies demonstrated that active MNs achieved efficient drug penetration within isolated scar tissue. The rabbit hypertrophic scar model revealed that TA-Cur MNs significantly reduced the scar elevation index, suppressed collagen I and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression, and elevated LC3 protein levels. These findings highlight the potential of the active MN system as an efficacious platform for autonomous augmented drug delivery and autophagy-targeted therapy in fibrotic disorder treatments.

Objective:To construct and validate a prognostic model of colon cancer based on differentially expressed anoikis-related genes, and to preliminarily investigate the relationship between anoikis-related genes and the tumor immune microenvironment of colon cancer.Methods:A total of 472 cancer tissues samples of patients with colon cancer, RNA sequencing data and clinical data of 41 normal tissues samples were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database between the establishment time and July in 2024. A total of 919 genes related to anoikis were screened out from GeneCards database, and the common genes were selected from the RNA sequencing gene datasets of colon cancer and normal colon tissues in the TCGA database, among which the differentially expressed anoikis-related genes of colon cancer and normal colon tissues were screened out based on P < 0.05. Furthermore, genes related to the prognosis of 446 colon cancer patients with prognostic data in the TCGA database were screened by using univariate Cox proportional risk model; the genes with P < 0.05 were further screened out and a colon cancer prognosis model was constructed by using LASSO-Cox proportional risk model. The risk score of the above 446 colon cancer patients in the TCGA database was calculated according to the prognostic model, and the patients were divided into high-risk (≥ median value) group and low-risk (< median value) group according to the median risk score, and the overall survival of the 2 groups was analyzed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. The risk score based on R software-based time ROC program package was used to predict 1-year, 2-year, 3-year overall survival therapeutic efficacy of colon cancer patients in the TCGA database. According to the median risk score of colon cancer patients in the TCGA database, the patients in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database were divided into high-risk group and low-risk group. Kaplan-Meier method and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to verify the predictive effect of the prognostic model. The differentially expressed genes between low-risk group and high-risk group stratified by prognostic model risk score in the TCGA database were used to perform single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGESA) of immune cells and immune function by using R software related programs. The differences in risk scores of patients with different immunophenotypes (including inflammator response type, wound healing type, interferon gamma dominant type and lymphocyte depletion type) were compared; and correlation analysis of infiltration and risk scores between immune cells and stromal cells in tumor microenvironment was made. Based on the tumor immune function and rejection (TIDE) database, the relationship between the prognostic model risk score and programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-L1) gene expression level was analyzed. Results:Based on anoikis-related genes in the GeneCards database, 236 differentially expressed anoikis-related genes between colon cancer tissues and normal tissues were obtained from the TCGA database. LASSO Cox regression was applied to establish a prognostic model constructed by 7 differentially expressed anoikis-related genes in cancer tissues and normal colon tissues related to the prognosis of colon cancer. Risk score = 0.366×TIMP1-0.404×NAT1+0.207×LTB4R2+0.075×INHBB+0.140×CD36-0.109×MMP3+2.994×OFCC1. The median risk score of 446 colon cancer patients in the TCGA database was 1.754 719 545. Survival analysis showed that the overall survival of colon cancer patients in high-risk group of the TCGA database was worse than that in low-risk group ( P < 0.001); ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for predicting 1-year, 2-year and 3-year overall survival of patients in the TCGA database based on the prognostic model risk score was 0.705, 0.731 and 0.723, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method analysis showed that in the ICGC database, the overall survival of colon cancer patients in high-risk group was worse than that in low-risk group ( P = 0.041); ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of prognostic model risk score for predicting 1-year and 2-year overall survival of colon cancer patients in the ICGC database was 0.663 and 0.966, respectively. ssGESA analysis showed that macrophage level in high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group, helper T (Th) 1 cell and Th2 cell levels in high-risk group were lower than those in low-risk group (all P < 0.01). In terms of immune function, the cell killing activity and histocompatibility complex Ⅰ level in high-risk group were lower than those in low-risk group, and type Ⅱ interferon response score in high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group (all P < 0.05). The analysis of immunophenotype showed that the risk score of inflammatory response type was higher than that of wound healing type ( P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in risk score between the other 2 types (all P > 0.05). Risk score was positively correlated with stromal cell infiltration score ( R = 0.340, P < 0.001) and immune cell infiltration score ( R = 0.148, P < 0.05); the expression level of PD-L1 in high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group in the TCGA database ( P = 0.048), and the expression level of PD-L1 was positively correlated with risk score ( R = 0.130, P = 0.009). Conclusions:A prognostic model of colon cancer constructed by anoikis-related genes can better predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients, and anoikis-related genes may play an important role in tumor immunity of colon cancer.

Objective:To investigate the autophagy level of CD8+T cells in rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and correlation with its number,and to explore the role of autophagy in pathogenesis of COPD.Methods:Thirty-six 6-week-old male SD rats were divided into three groups,including normal control group,COPD group and COPD intervention group.COPD model was established by smoking,and intraperitoneal injection of 3-methyladenine(3-MA)was used for intervention.Lung function of rats was detected by small animal pulmonary function testing,and frequency of CD8+T cells,CD8+memory T cells,CD8+effector T cells in blood and lung of rats were detected by flow cytometry.CD8+T cells were sorted by immunomagnetic beads,and expressions of autophagy protein including LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ,Beclin-1 and p62 in CD8+T cells were detected by Western blot.The middle lobe of right lung was collected for histological observation.Results:Infiltration of inflammatory cells and the decline of lung function in COPD group were more obvious than those in normal group.Frequency of CD8+T cells,CD8+effector T cells and CD8+memory T cells in blood and lung of rats in COPD group were significantly higher than those in normal control group(all P<0.05).Level of autophagy protein,LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin-1 of CD8+T cells in COPD group were significantly higher than that in normal control group,while level of p62 was lower than that in normal control group(P<0.01).CD8+T cells,CD8+effector T cells,CD8+memory T cells in COPD intervention group were significantly lower than those in COPD group(P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ expression level was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+T cells in blood(r=0.667,P<0.01).Expression level of Beclin-1 was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+T cells and CD8+effector T cells in blood(r=0.505,P=0.021;r=0.428,P=0.037).Expression of LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰprotein was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+T cells and CD8+effector T cells in lung tissue(r=0.474,P=0.019;r=0.549,P=0.006).Expression of Beclin-1 was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+effector T cells in lung tissue(r=0.458,P=0.025).Conclusion:Level of CD8+T cell autophagy is correlated with its number.CD8+T cell autophagy may be involved in the chronic inflam-matory process of COPD,and 3-MA can inhibit COPD inflammation.

Objective:To construct and validate a prognostic model of colon cancer based on differentially expressed anoikis-related genes, and to preliminarily investigate the relationship between anoikis-related genes and the tumor immune microenvironment of colon cancer.Methods:A total of 472 cancer tissues samples of patients with colon cancer, RNA sequencing data and clinical data of 41 normal tissues samples were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database between the establishment time and July in 2024. A total of 919 genes related to anoikis were screened out from GeneCards database, and the common genes were selected from the RNA sequencing gene datasets of colon cancer and normal colon tissues in the TCGA database, among which the differentially expressed anoikis-related genes of colon cancer and normal colon tissues were screened out based on P < 0.05. Furthermore, genes related to the prognosis of 446 colon cancer patients with prognostic data in the TCGA database were screened by using univariate Cox proportional risk model; the genes with P < 0.05 were further screened out and a colon cancer prognosis model was constructed by using LASSO-Cox proportional risk model. The risk score of the above 446 colon cancer patients in the TCGA database was calculated according to the prognostic model, and the patients were divided into high-risk (≥ median value) group and low-risk (< median value) group according to the median risk score, and the overall survival of the 2 groups was analyzed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. The risk score based on R software-based time ROC program package was used to predict 1-year, 2-year, 3-year overall survival therapeutic efficacy of colon cancer patients in the TCGA database. According to the median risk score of colon cancer patients in the TCGA database, the patients in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database were divided into high-risk group and low-risk group. Kaplan-Meier method and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to verify the predictive effect of the prognostic model. The differentially expressed genes between low-risk group and high-risk group stratified by prognostic model risk score in the TCGA database were used to perform single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGESA) of immune cells and immune function by using R software related programs. The differences in risk scores of patients with different immunophenotypes (including inflammator response type, wound healing type, interferon gamma dominant type and lymphocyte depletion type) were compared; and correlation analysis of infiltration and risk scores between immune cells and stromal cells in tumor microenvironment was made. Based on the tumor immune function and rejection (TIDE) database, the relationship between the prognostic model risk score and programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-L1) gene expression level was analyzed. Results:Based on anoikis-related genes in the GeneCards database, 236 differentially expressed anoikis-related genes between colon cancer tissues and normal tissues were obtained from the TCGA database. LASSO Cox regression was applied to establish a prognostic model constructed by 7 differentially expressed anoikis-related genes in cancer tissues and normal colon tissues related to the prognosis of colon cancer. Risk score = 0.366×TIMP1-0.404×NAT1+0.207×LTB4R2+0.075×INHBB+0.140×CD36-0.109×MMP3+2.994×OFCC1. The median risk score of 446 colon cancer patients in the TCGA database was 1.754 719 545. Survival analysis showed that the overall survival of colon cancer patients in high-risk group of the TCGA database was worse than that in low-risk group ( P < 0.001); ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for predicting 1-year, 2-year and 3-year overall survival of patients in the TCGA database based on the prognostic model risk score was 0.705, 0.731 and 0.723, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method analysis showed that in the ICGC database, the overall survival of colon cancer patients in high-risk group was worse than that in low-risk group ( P = 0.041); ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of prognostic model risk score for predicting 1-year and 2-year overall survival of colon cancer patients in the ICGC database was 0.663 and 0.966, respectively. ssGESA analysis showed that macrophage level in high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group, helper T (Th) 1 cell and Th2 cell levels in high-risk group were lower than those in low-risk group (all P < 0.01). In terms of immune function, the cell killing activity and histocompatibility complex Ⅰ level in high-risk group were lower than those in low-risk group, and type Ⅱ interferon response score in high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group (all P < 0.05). The analysis of immunophenotype showed that the risk score of inflammatory response type was higher than that of wound healing type ( P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in risk score between the other 2 types (all P > 0.05). Risk score was positively correlated with stromal cell infiltration score ( R = 0.340, P < 0.001) and immune cell infiltration score ( R = 0.148, P < 0.05); the expression level of PD-L1 in high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group in the TCGA database ( P = 0.048), and the expression level of PD-L1 was positively correlated with risk score ( R = 0.130, P = 0.009). Conclusions:A prognostic model of colon cancer constructed by anoikis-related genes can better predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients, and anoikis-related genes may play an important role in tumor immunity of colon cancer.

Objective To analyze the core syndromes of patients with generalized anxiety disorder(GAD),explore the core pathogenesis,and offer innovative perspectives and practical strategies for the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)diagnosis and treatment of GAD.Methods The basic information of GAD patients was collected,and depression symptoms were evaluated with Hamilton Anxiety Scale to evaluate anxiety symptoms,Hamilton Depression Scale,and the TCM psychiatric and somatic symptoms were evaluated with Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Observation Form.Based on the data collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine symptom observation table,the systematic clustering method was used to cluster the symptoms with a frequency greater than 10％,determine the disease type syndrome and disease location syndrome,and form a syndrome symptom relationship table.According to this table,the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score of each patient is calculated.The complex network analysis was carried out to evaluate core syndromes and analyze the relationships between core syndromes and psychiatric symptoms and core syndromes and other syndromes.Results A total of 517 patients with GAD were included.There were 81 symptoms with a frequency of more than 10％,including 21 psychological symptoms and 60 physical symptoms.The clustering analysis led to a total of 12 syndromes,including 6 pathological syndromes,namely yin deficiency,heat,phlegm dampness,qi stagnation,blood stasis,and qi deficiency,and 6 disease location syndromes,namely liver,spleen,kidney,gallbladder,stomach,and heart.The results of complex network analysis show that the core pathological syndrome of GAD is kidney,and the core pathological syndrome is yin deficiency.The joint analysis of pathological syndrome and pathological syndrome network suggests that yin deficiency is the core of the integrated network.The relationship between yin deficiency syndrome and various organs is in the order of kidney,spleen,gallbladder,liver,heart,and stomach.The syndrome element of yin deficiency has the highest correlation with being easily frightened,excessive thinking,indecisiveness,repetitive behavior,and groundless worry.The kidney syndrome has the highest correlation with the symptoms such as being easily scared,unfounded worry,repetitive actions,excessive rumination,and restlessness.Conclusion The core pathological pattern of GAD is kidney and the core pathological pattern is yin deficiency.Kidney yin deficiency may be the core pathogenesis of GAD.

Objective:To investigate the autophagy level of CD8+T cells in rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and correlation with its number,and to explore the role of autophagy in pathogenesis of COPD.Methods:Thirty-six 6-week-old male SD rats were divided into three groups,including normal control group,COPD group and COPD intervention group.COPD model was established by smoking,and intraperitoneal injection of 3-methyladenine(3-MA)was used for intervention.Lung function of rats was detected by small animal pulmonary function testing,and frequency of CD8+T cells,CD8+memory T cells,CD8+effector T cells in blood and lung of rats were detected by flow cytometry.CD8+T cells were sorted by immunomagnetic beads,and expressions of autophagy protein including LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ,Beclin-1 and p62 in CD8+T cells were detected by Western blot.The middle lobe of right lung was collected for histological observation.Results:Infiltration of inflammatory cells and the decline of lung function in COPD group were more obvious than those in normal group.Frequency of CD8+T cells,CD8+effector T cells and CD8+memory T cells in blood and lung of rats in COPD group were significantly higher than those in normal control group(all P<0.05).Level of autophagy protein,LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin-1 of CD8+T cells in COPD group were significantly higher than that in normal control group,while level of p62 was lower than that in normal control group(P<0.01).CD8+T cells,CD8+effector T cells,CD8+memory T cells in COPD intervention group were significantly lower than those in COPD group(P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ expression level was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+T cells in blood(r=0.667,P<0.01).Expression level of Beclin-1 was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+T cells and CD8+effector T cells in blood(r=0.505,P=0.021;r=0.428,P=0.037).Expression of LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰprotein was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+T cells and CD8+effector T cells in lung tissue(r=0.474,P=0.019;r=0.549,P=0.006).Expression of Beclin-1 was positively correlated with frequency of CD8+effector T cells in lung tissue(r=0.458,P=0.025).Conclusion:Level of CD8+T cell autophagy is correlated with its number.CD8+T cell autophagy may be involved in the chronic inflam-matory process of COPD,and 3-MA can inhibit COPD inflammation.

Objective To examine the anti-central-fatigue function of maca and its underlying mechanism.Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into a negative control group,model control group,and low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups(0.6,1.2,and 2.4 g/kg·body weight).Rats in all groups except the negative control group were subjected to multi-factor stimulation,including cold-water swimming,sleep deprivation,restraining,and tail-clamping,to establish central fatigue rat models.Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups received 0.6,1.2,or 2.4 g/kg maca,respectively,by gavage for 35 days.Behavioral testing was carried out using the Morris water-maze,sucrose-preference,and tail-suspension tests.Markers of oxidative stress in the hippocampus,including superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and catalase(CAT),were detected using test kits.Proteins connected with the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/sirtuin 1(SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α(PGC-1α)signaling pathway in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Results Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups spent significantly more time in the target quadrant compared with the model control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),but there was no significant dose-effect relationship.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed decreased escape latency(P＜0.05),increased time crossing the platform location(P＜0.05),increased sucrose preference(P＜0.05),decreased tail suspension time(P＜0.05),increased the activities of CAT(P＜0.01)and SOD(P＜0.05),and decreased MDA content(P＜0.01).Rats in the low-,medium-,and high-dose maca groups also showed significantly increased protein expression levels of AMPK and nuclear respiratory factor 1(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05),but no significant dose-effect relationship was observed.Rats in the medium-and high-dose maca groups showed increased protein expression of PGC-1α(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and rats in the high-dose maca group showed increased protein expression of SIRT1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusions Maca can improve the indicators of central fatigue in rats,determined by behavioral testing and oxidative stress-related factors.The underlying mechanism may be related to its regulatory effects on the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Objective To analyze the core syndromes of patients with generalized anxiety disorder(GAD),explore the core pathogenesis,and offer innovative perspectives and practical strategies for the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)diagnosis and treatment of GAD.Methods The basic information of GAD patients was collected,and depression symptoms were evaluated with Hamilton Anxiety Scale to evaluate anxiety symptoms,Hamilton Depression Scale,and the TCM psychiatric and somatic symptoms were evaluated with Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Observation Form.Based on the data collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine symptom observation table,the systematic clustering method was used to cluster the symptoms with a frequency greater than 10％,determine the disease type syndrome and disease location syndrome,and form a syndrome symptom relationship table.According to this table,the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score of each patient is calculated.The complex network analysis was carried out to evaluate core syndromes and analyze the relationships between core syndromes and psychiatric symptoms and core syndromes and other syndromes.Results A total of 517 patients with GAD were included.There were 81 symptoms with a frequency of more than 10％,including 21 psychological symptoms and 60 physical symptoms.The clustering analysis led to a total of 12 syndromes,including 6 pathological syndromes,namely yin deficiency,heat,phlegm dampness,qi stagnation,blood stasis,and qi deficiency,and 6 disease location syndromes,namely liver,spleen,kidney,gallbladder,stomach,and heart.The results of complex network analysis show that the core pathological syndrome of GAD is kidney,and the core pathological syndrome is yin deficiency.The joint analysis of pathological syndrome and pathological syndrome network suggests that yin deficiency is the core of the integrated network.The relationship between yin deficiency syndrome and various organs is in the order of kidney,spleen,gallbladder,liver,heart,and stomach.The syndrome element of yin deficiency has the highest correlation with being easily frightened,excessive thinking,indecisiveness,repetitive behavior,and groundless worry.The kidney syndrome has the highest correlation with the symptoms such as being easily scared,unfounded worry,repetitive actions,excessive rumination,and restlessness.Conclusion The core pathological pattern of GAD is kidney and the core pathological pattern is yin deficiency.Kidney yin deficiency may be the core pathogenesis of GAD.

Based on the"You Gu Wu Yun"theory in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),this paper believes that"Gu"in"You Gu Wu Yun"is extended to"state"from the perspective of"TCM state".In order to avoid the adverse reactions of TCM,the macro,meso,and micro three views should be used together,and macro,meso,and micro parameters should be integrated.We should also carefully identify the physiological characteristics,pathological characteristics,constitution,syndrome,and disease of human body by combining qualitative and quantitative method,highlighting the relationship between the prescription and the"state".The correspondence between prescription and the"state"will reduce the risk of adverse reactions of TCM.In this paper,we hope to focus on the guiding role of the"You Gu Wu Yun"theory in TCM research,to give full play to the characteristics and advantages of TCM,and to dialectically treat the role of TCM.