ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which the Shenfu Xiongze prescription regulates autophagy in rats with myocardial remodeling through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodsA rat model of myocardial remodeling induced by isoprenaline （ISO） was established. Rats were divided into the blank group，the model group，the low-，medium-， and high-dose groups of Shenfu Xiongze prescription，and the captopril group， 6 rats in each group. Except for the blank group，the rat model of myocardial remodeling was established in the other groups by intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 mg·kg^-1 ISO for 3 consecutive weeks. At the same time of modeling， the low-，medium-， and high-dose groups of Shenfu Xiongze prescription were administered the corresponding doses of Shenfu Xiongze prescription solution （8.4，16.8，and 33.6 g·kg^-1），and the captopril group was administered captopril solution （25 mg·kg^-1）. As for the blank group and the model group， the same volume of normal saline was given. The treatment was continued for 3 weeks. Echocardiography was used to observe the cardiac structure and function，and the heart weight index was detected. Masson staining and hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining were used to observe the pathological morphology changes of myocardial tissue. The levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP） in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression of type Ⅰ collagen （Collagen Ⅰ），type Ⅲ collagen （Collagen Ⅲ），and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） proteins in myocardial tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry. Autophagy was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The mRNA expression of Collagen Ⅰ，Collagen Ⅲ，α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA），LC3，yeast Atg6 homolog protein （Beclin-1），AMPK，and mTOR in myocardial tissue was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （real-time PCR）. The protein expression of Collagen Ⅰ，α-SMA，transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁），LC3，Beclin-1，p62， phosphorylation（p）-AMPK，p-mTOR，AMPK，and mTOR was detected by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group，rats in the model group exhibited significantly decreased values of ejection fraction （EF） and left ventricular fractional shortening （FS） （P<0.01）， significantly increased values of left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVIDd） and left ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVIDs） （P<0.01）. Additionally， the model group also showed increased degrees of inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis of myocardial tissue， significantly elevated levels of serum IL-6 and BNP （P<0.01）， significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of Collagen Ⅰ，Collagen Ⅲ，α-SMA，and mTOR （P<0.01），and markedly decreased mRNA and protein levels of LC3，Beclin-1，and AMPK （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the low-，medium-， and high-dose groups of Shenfu Xiongze prescription presented significantly elevated EF and FS values （P<0.01） and lowered LVIDd and LVIDs （P<0.05）. In these groups， the inflammation and fibrosis were alleviated significantly. They also exhibited decreased serum levels of IL-6 and BNP （P<0.01）， significantly reduced protein expression of Collagen Ⅰ， α-SMA， TGF-β₁， p62， and p-mTOR （P<0.01）， significantly decreased mRNA expression of Collagen Ⅰ， Collagen Ⅲ， α-SMA， and mTOR （P<0.01）， and significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of LC3， Beclin-1， and AMPK （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionThe Shenfu Xiongze prescription can improve the myocardial remodeling induced by ISO in rats by regulating the autophagy level，enhance cardiac function，and reduce inflammatory and fibrotic levels. This effect may be achieved through the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of menopausal syndrome among postmenopausal women in Pan'an County, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the basis for guiding the health management of postmenopausal women. Methods: From May 2023 to April 2024, the postmenopausal women aged 40 to 69 years in Pan'an County were selected using the random cluster sampling method. Demographic information, lifestyle and prevalence of gynecological diseases were collected through questionnaire surveys. The prevalence of menopausal syndrome was assessed by modified Kupperman Score Scale. Factors affecting menopausal syndrome were analyzed by a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 816 postmenopausal women were surveyed, with an mean age of (57.63±2.92) years and a mean natural menopause age of (49.85±2.13) years. There were 574 cases with menopausal syndrome, with a prevalence of 70.34%. Flashes and sweating, insomnia and irritability were common symptoms, accounting for 62.87%, 47.43% and 41.18%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that monthly personal income of ≤5 000 yuan (<3 000 yuan, OR=3.124, 95%CI: 1.829-5.335; 3 000-5 000 yuan, OR=2.399, 95%CI: 1.370-4.201) and having gynecological diseases (OR=1.970, 95%CI: 1.292-3.004) were associated with a higher risk of menopausal syndrome, while average (OR=0.141, 95%CI: 0.072-0.276) or sufficient sleep quality (OR=0.095, 95%CI: 0.049-0.185) were associated with a lower risk of menopausal syndrome. Conclusion The prevalence of menopausal syndrome among postmenopausal women in Pan'an County is relatively high, and is mainly influenced by personal economic status, sleep quality and the presence of gynecological diseases.

In recent years， the number of special clinical cases related to assisted reproductive technology （ART） for pregnancy has been on the rise annually. For example， gamete donation， assisted reproduction for couples of advanced maternal ages， and the ownership and disposition of embryos when one or both partners pass away， all involve the health of offspring and conflicts of interest in the implementation of ART. Although China’s ethical principles for ART include the protection of the offspring， the detailed rules are vague and urgently need to be supplemented and improved. In addition， the clinical application of ART lacks legislative collaborative governance. The corresponding administrative departments， practitioners， and infertile couples should work together. Starting from the perspective of focusing on the well-being of offspring born from the clinical application of ART， while conducting clinical research to address technical challenges， efforts should be made to overcome ethical dilemmas in the application of technology， comprehensively consider the well-being of offspring born from assisted reproductive treatments and help them seek the best care to promote their healthy growth.

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of electroacupuncture with "tonifying the kidney and dispelling stasis" acupoint prescription on sexual function in diabetic erectile dysfunction （DMED）model rats， and to explore its possible mechanism of action. MethodsSPF male SD rats were randomly divided into 10 each in blank group， model group， Tadalafil group， and electroacupuncture group. DMED rat model was prepared by high glucose and high fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. After successful modelling， rats in the electroacupuncture group were given electroacupuncture intervention of "tonifying the kidney and dispelling stasis" acupoint prescription once every other day； Tadalafil group was given Tadalafil solution 0.5 mg/kg·d by gavage， and the blank group， model group and electroacupuncture group were given 10 ml/kg pure water by gavage once a day. Each group was intervened for 30 days. The body mass and blood glucose level of the rats were detected on the 1st， 8th， 15th， 22nd days and at the end of the intervention， respectively. At the end of the intervention， the penile erection of the rats was observed by using the apomorphine test； the level of plasma endothelial cell microparticles （EMPs）was detected by flow cytometry； the histopathological morphology of the penile cavernous body was observed by HE staining， and the pathological morphology of the endothelial cells of the penile vasculature was observed by electron microscopy. Serum sex hormones including testosterone （T）， follicle stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinising hormone （LH） and vascular endothelial function-related factors including vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， endothelin-1 （ET-1）， lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 （LOX-1）， soluble E-selectin （sE-selectin）， and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 （sICAM-1） were measured by ELISA method. ResultsCompared with blank group， the model group， Tadalafil group， and electroacupuncture group all had lower body mass and higher blood glucose levels at each time of testing （P＜0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the number of penile erections reduced in the model group， the level of CD31⁺ EMPs increased， the levels of serum T， FSH， LH， and VEGF reduced， and the levels of serum ET-1， LOX-1， sE-selectin， and sICAM-1 increased （P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Tadalafil group and the electroacupuncture group showed an increased number of penile erections decreased level of CD31⁺ EMPs， increased levels of serum T， FSH， LH， and VEGF， and decreased levels of serum ET-1， LOX-1， sE-selectin， and sICAM-1 （P＜0.01）. Compared with the Tadalafil group， serum T， FSH， LH， VEGF levels increased and ET-1， LOX-1 levels decreased in the electroacupuncture group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. HE staining and electron microscopic observation revealed that there was severe pathological damage to the cavernous tissue of the penis and vascular endothelial cells of the rat in the model group， which was ameliorated to a certain degree in both Tadalafil group and electroacupuncture group. ConclusionThe electroacupuncture prescription of "tonifying the kidney and dispelling stasis" can improve the erectile dysfunction of DMED rats， which is comparable to the effect of Tadalafi. Its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of vascular endothelial function.

Gut microbial communities are likely remodeled in tandem with accumulated physiological decline during aging, yet there is limited understanding of gut microbiome variation in advanced age. Here, we performed a metagenomics-based enterotype analysis in a geographically homogeneous cohort of 367 enrolled Chinese individuals between the ages of 60 and 94 years, with the goal of characterizing the gut microbiome of elderly individuals and identifying factors linked to enterotype variations. In addition to two adult-like enterotypes dominated by Bacteroides (ET-Bacteroides) and Prevotella (ET-Prevotella), we identified a novel enterotype dominated by Escherichia (ET-Escherichia), whose prevalence increased in advanced age. Our data demonstrated that age explained more of the variance in the gut microbiome than previously identified factors such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or diet. We characterized the distinct taxonomic and functional profiles of ET-Escherichia, and found the strongest cohesion and highest robustness of the microbial co-occurrence network in this enterotype, as well as the lowest species diversity. In addition, we carried out a series of correlation analyses and co-abundance network analyses, which showed that several factors were likely linked to the overabundance of Escherichia members, including advanced age, vegetable intake, and fruit intake. Overall, our data revealed an enterotype variation characterized by Escherichia enrichment in the elderly population. Considering the different age distribution of each enterotype, these findings provide new insights into the changes that occur in the gut microbiome with age and highlight the importance of microbiome-based stratification of elderly individuals.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Bacteroides ; China ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/microbiology* ; Escherichia coli/classification* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; Metagenomics ; East Asian People

Objective To construct a diagnostic and prognostic model for malignant pleural effusion (MPE) in patients with non-M1b stage (AJCC 7th edition) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by machine learning. Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed with NSCLC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2010 to 2015, excluding those in the M1b stage. Two sets of data were collected: data 1 (patients with non-M1b stage NSCLC, n=47 392) was used to construct the MPE diagnostic model; and data 2 (patients with M1a stage NSCLC and MPE, n=2 422) was used to construct a prognostic model. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used to screen feature variables, with a training set and validation set ratio of 7:3. Models were built using eight machine learning algorithms, with evaluation metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, area under the ROC curve (AUC), decision curve, calibration curve, and precision recall curve (PR), with ROC-AUC as the main evaluation metric. Results The incidence of MPE in patients with non-M1b stage NSCLC was 5.12%, and the 1-year survival rate of patients with MPE was 32.5%. LASSO regression identified nine diagnostic-related variables and 12 prognostic-related variables. The AUC values of the models constructed by eight machine learning algorithms all exceeded 0.70. The random forest model performed the best in the diagnostic model (training set AUC=0.908, validation set AUC=0.897), and the XGBoost model showed the best performance in the prognostic model (training set AUC=0.905, validation set AUC=0.875). Other evaluation indicators showed good results and balanced distribution. SHAP feature importance analysis showed that tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and histological type were important influencing factors for the occurrence of MPE, and chemotherapy intervention was the most remarkably prognostic factor. Conclusion The random forest diagnostic model constructed in this study can effectively predict the risk of MPE in patients with non-M1b stage NSCLC, and the XGBoost prognostic model can predict the prognosis of M1a-stage NSCLC patients with concurrent MPE.

AIM: To observe the changes of corneal densitometry(CD)in patients with keratoconus after corneal cross-linking(CXL).METHODS: Retrospective study. A total of 32 patients(43 eyes)with keratoconus in Ningxia Eye Hospital from April 2020 to April 2022 were selected. Pentacam analysis system divided the cornea into three layers: anterior 120 μm, middle layer and posterior 60 μm, and divides it into five regions with diameters of 0-2, 2-6, 6-10, 10-12 mm and full diameter according to the diameter, and measures the CD in different ranges. The changes of CD were compared before operation and at 1, 3 and 6 mo after operation.RESULTS: There were differences in uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity and intraocular pressure before and 6 mo after operation(all P<0.05), and there was no difference in corneal endothelial cells(P=0.477). CD reached its peak at 1 mo after operation, and decreased at 3 mo and 6 mo after operation, but it was still higher than that before operation. There is a significant positive correlation between CD and Kmax in the anterior layer and the whole layer(r=0.164, P=0.016; r=0.152, P=0.023).CONCLUSION: The values of CD peaked at 1 mo after CXL, then it gradually decreased, tending to become stable at 6 mo postoperatively.

Objective:To investigate the inhibitory effect of lycium barbarum polysaccharide(LBP)on apoptosis of Schwann cells(SCs)and its related mechanisms.Methods:The autophagy model was prepared by starvation treatment of RSC96 cells for 12 h,and the expressions of autophagy related proteins LC3 and p62 were detected by Western Blot.Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)kits were used to detect the optimal concentration of LBP.RSC96 cells were randomly divided into Control group,Starvation group and Starvation+LBP group.The expressions of autophagy associated pro-teins(LC3,p62)and myelin associated proteins(p75NTR,PMP22,S100β)were detected by Western Blot or immu-nofluorescence staining.Annexin V/PI fluorescence staining was used to detect apoptosis of the cells.The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry.Western Blot analysis of phosphorylation levels of pathway proteins Erk1/2 and Akt.Results:CCK8 results showed that the viability of damaged RSC96 cells was the best when LBP was 300 μg/ml.Com-pared with Control group,LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-I levels in Starvation group were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with Starvation group,the proportion of apoptotic and necrotic cells in Starvation+LBP group was significantly de-creased,and the proportion of cells in S and G2/M stages was increased.The expression levels of LC3-Ⅱ,p75NTR,PMP22 and S100β were increased,while the expression levels of autophagy substrate protein p62 were decreased.In-creased expression of pathway protein p-Erk1/2(P＜0.05),while the expression of p-Akt protein decreased slightly.Conclusion:LBP can inhibit the apoptosis of SCs and promote the expression of myelin-related proteins by enhancing autophagy,which is related to the activation of Erk1/2 and/or the inhibition of Akt.

Objective Exploring the career mobility intentions of primary care staff in healthcare consortia to provide a basis for decision-making suggestions on the training and retention decisions of medical staff in the medical alli-ance.Methods To investigate the career mobility intention of medical staff in the medical alliance of Guangdong Second People's Hospital as the survey object.Statistical descriptions of the collected key indicators were con-ducted.Pearson chi-square test and t-test for independent samples were used to analyze the differences between groups,and binary logistic regression with single and multiple factors was used to explore the association between potential factors and the idea of staying at the grassroots level.Results A total of 289 medical staff within the health-care consortium were included,with females being the main group at 63.0％,and the highest proportion of staff un-der 40 years of age at 63.6％.Logistic regression analysis result showed a significant positive association between satisfaction with training effect and thoughts of staying on at the primary level only(P<0.05).Conclusion It is possi-ble to explore the construction of a virtuous circulation mechanism of medical talent resources with the medical asso-ciation construction as the carrier,and promote the orderly flow of manpower within the medical association,so as to achieve the"recruiting,well using,promotion and retaining"medical talent people in primary medical institu-tions.