ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of moxibustion at Guanyuan （CV 4） in delaying skin photoaging. MethodsThirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups， namely blank group， model group， vitamin E group， and moxibustion group， with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group， dorsal skin of rats were exposed to ultraviolet （UV） radiation to establish a skin photoaging model. One week after modeling， the moxibustion group received moxibustion at "Guanyuan （CV 4）" once a day， five days per week； the vitamin E group received vitamin E （25 mg/kg·d） once a day by gavage， five days per week； the blank group， model group， and moxibustion group received an equivalent volume of normal saline via gavage； the intervention lasted for 7 weeks. After 7 weeks， dorsal skin tissues were collected to analyze the following indicators， such as skin tissue moisture content， histomorphological changes using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ content using ELISA. Malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， hydrogen peroxide （H₂O₂）， and catalase （CAT） activity in skin tissue were dectected. Western Blot was used to determin autophagy-related proteins， including microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 （LC3）， polyubiquitin-binding protein （p62）， and autophagy-specific gene （Beclin-1）； LC3， p62， and Beclin-1 mRNA expression was detected via qRT-PCR， and autophagosome formation was observed using transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. ResultsHE staining showed that the epidermal structure in the blank group was orderly and evenly thick， while the model group exhibited uneven epidermal thickness. In the moxibustion group， the epidermis was well-structured， smooth， and uniform， with densely arranged dermal layers； the epidermis in the vitamin E group was thicker than that in the model group. Compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited decreased skin moisture content and reduced level of Collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ， reduced SOD， CAT， and GSH-Px activity in skin tissue， increased H₂O₂ and MDA activity， elevated p62 protein and mRNA expression， reduced LC3 and Beclin-1 protein and mRNA expression （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the moxibustion group showed significant improvement in all these indicators （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； whereas the vitamin E group did not show a statistically significant difference in Collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ levels （P＞0.05）. TEM results showed that， compared with the blank group， the model group had atrophic skin cells， extensive mitochondrial vacuolization， and degraded cellular structures； the moxibustion group exhibited crescent- or cup-shaped autophagosomes with a significantly increased number of autophagosomes per unit area， whereas the vitamin E group showed less improvement than the moxibustion group. ConclusionMoxibustion at "Guanyuan （CV 4）" may alleviate skin photoaging by regulating oxidative stress imba-lance， modulating cellular autophagy， and promoting collagen synthesis， thereby slowing the aging process of the skin.

Background/Aims: The World Health Organization set the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, with 80% and 65% reductions in HCV incidence and mortality rates, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the health benefits, cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of HCV elimination. Methods: Using an HCV transmission compartmental model, we evaluated the benefits and costs of different strategies combining screening and treatment for Chinese populations. We identified strategies to achieve HCV elimination and calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for 2022–2030 to identify the optimal elimination strategy. Furthermore, we estimated the ROI by 2050 by comparing the required investment with the economic productivity gains from reduced HCV incidence and deaths. Results: The strategy that results in the most significant health benefits involves conducting annual primary screening at a rate of 14%, re-screening people who inject drugs annually and the general population every five years, and treating 95% of those diagnosed (P14-R4-T95), preventing approximately 5.75 and 0.44 million HCV infections and deaths, respectively, during 2022–2030. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $12,615, the P14-R4-T95 strategy is the most cost-effective, with an ICER of $5,449/DALY. By 2050, this strategy would have a net benefit of $120,997 million (ROI=0.868). Conclusions Achieving HCV elimination in China by 2030 will require significant investment in large-scale universal screening and treatment, but it will yield substantial health and economic benefits and is cost-effective.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect and mechanism of Prunus mume against hepatic fibrosis （HF）. METHODS Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group （n＝10） and modeling group （n＝50）. The modeling group established HF model using carbon tetrachloride. The modeled rats were randomly divided into model group （normal saline）， positive control group [colchicine， 0.09 mg/（kg·d）]， and P. mume low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups [1.35， 2.70， 5.40 g/（kg·d）]， with 9 rats in each group. They were given the corresponding drug/normal saline intragastrically， once a day， for 8 consecutive weeks. After the last medication， the liver index was calculated， while liver function indexes， liver fiber indexes， oxidative stress indicators and inflammatory factors of rats were measured. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes in liver tissue of rats； Masson staining was used to observe the degree of HF in liver tissue of rats； transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of liver tissue in rats； TUNEL staining was used to detect liver cell apoptosis in each group of rats. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） and platelet-derived growth factor （PDGF） in liver tissue of rats. RESULTS Compared with normal control group， the levels of alanine transaminase， alkaline phosphatase， aspartate transaminase， total bilirubin， malondialdehyde， procollagen type Ⅲ protein， Ⅳ-type pre collagenase， laminin， hyaluronic acid， interleukin-6， tumor necrosis factor-α， as well as the protein expressions of TGF-β1 and PDGF in model group were increased significantly， while the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly reduced （P＜0.01）； the HE， Masson staining and transmission electron microscopy observation results showed obvious HF characteristics in rats of model group. Compared with model group， varying degrees of improvement in above indexes were observed in P. mume groups， and the above 2021BSZR011） indicators of rats in P. mume medium-dose and high-dose groups were reversed significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS P. mume has an anti-HF effect， which may be achieved through mechanisms such as antioxidation， anti-inflammation， reduction of collagen production， inhibition of PDGF protein expression， and regulation of TGF- β1 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect and mechanism of Prunus mume against hepatic fibrosis （HF）. METHODS Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group （n＝10） and modeling group （n＝50）. The modeling group established HF model using carbon tetrachloride. The modeled rats were randomly divided into model group （normal saline）， positive control group [colchicine， 0.09 mg/（kg·d）]， and P. mume low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups [1.35， 2.70， 5.40 g/（kg·d）]， with 9 rats in each group. They were given the corresponding drug/normal saline intragastrically， once a day， for 8 consecutive weeks. After the last medication， the liver index was calculated， while liver function indexes， liver fiber indexes， oxidative stress indicators and inflammatory factors of rats were measured. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes in liver tissue of rats； Masson staining was used to observe the degree of HF in liver tissue of rats； transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of liver tissue in rats； TUNEL staining was used to detect liver cell apoptosis in each group of rats. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） and platelet-derived growth factor （PDGF） in liver tissue of rats. RESULTS Compared with normal control group， the levels of alanine transaminase， alkaline phosphatase， aspartate transaminase， total bilirubin， malondialdehyde， procollagen type Ⅲ protein， Ⅳ-type pre collagenase， laminin， hyaluronic acid， interleukin-6， tumor necrosis factor-α， as well as the protein expressions of TGF-β1 and PDGF in model group were increased significantly， while the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly reduced （P＜0.01）； the HE， Masson staining and transmission electron microscopy observation results showed obvious HF characteristics in rats of model group. Compared with model group， varying degrees of improvement in above indexes were observed in P. mume groups， and the above 2021BSZR011） indicators of rats in P. mume medium-dose and high-dose groups were reversed significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS P. mume has an anti-HF effect， which may be achieved through mechanisms such as antioxidation， anti-inflammation， reduction of collagen production， inhibition of PDGF protein expression， and regulation of TGF- β1 signaling pathway.

Background/Aims: The World Health Organization set the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, with 80% and 65% reductions in HCV incidence and mortality rates, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the health benefits, cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of HCV elimination. Methods: Using an HCV transmission compartmental model, we evaluated the benefits and costs of different strategies combining screening and treatment for Chinese populations. We identified strategies to achieve HCV elimination and calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for 2022–2030 to identify the optimal elimination strategy. Furthermore, we estimated the ROI by 2050 by comparing the required investment with the economic productivity gains from reduced HCV incidence and deaths. Results: The strategy that results in the most significant health benefits involves conducting annual primary screening at a rate of 14%, re-screening people who inject drugs annually and the general population every five years, and treating 95% of those diagnosed (P14-R4-T95), preventing approximately 5.75 and 0.44 million HCV infections and deaths, respectively, during 2022–2030. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $12,615, the P14-R4-T95 strategy is the most cost-effective, with an ICER of $5,449/DALY. By 2050, this strategy would have a net benefit of $120,997 million (ROI=0.868). Conclusions Achieving HCV elimination in China by 2030 will require significant investment in large-scale universal screening and treatment, but it will yield substantial health and economic benefits and is cost-effective.

Background/Aims: The World Health Organization set the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, with 80% and 65% reductions in HCV incidence and mortality rates, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the health benefits, cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of HCV elimination. Methods: Using an HCV transmission compartmental model, we evaluated the benefits and costs of different strategies combining screening and treatment for Chinese populations. We identified strategies to achieve HCV elimination and calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for 2022–2030 to identify the optimal elimination strategy. Furthermore, we estimated the ROI by 2050 by comparing the required investment with the economic productivity gains from reduced HCV incidence and deaths. Results: The strategy that results in the most significant health benefits involves conducting annual primary screening at a rate of 14%, re-screening people who inject drugs annually and the general population every five years, and treating 95% of those diagnosed (P14-R4-T95), preventing approximately 5.75 and 0.44 million HCV infections and deaths, respectively, during 2022–2030. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $12,615, the P14-R4-T95 strategy is the most cost-effective, with an ICER of $5,449/DALY. By 2050, this strategy would have a net benefit of $120,997 million (ROI=0.868). Conclusions Achieving HCV elimination in China by 2030 will require significant investment in large-scale universal screening and treatment, but it will yield substantial health and economic benefits and is cost-effective.

ObjectiveTo explore the incremental cost of central line-associated bloodstream infections （CLABSI） after central venous catheterization （CVC） in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit （ICU）， as well as the main cost of nosocomial infection prevention and control. By comparing these two costs， the medical personnel to pay more attention should CLABSI prevention and control from the perspectives of medical quality and economic benefits， and promote the implementation of prevention and control measures. MethodsCluster sampling was used to select 126 critically ill patients who underwent CVC in the ICU of a tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospital from January 2021 to December 2023， including 65 cases in the CLABSI group and 61 in the non-CLABSI group. Patients’ data were retrospectively collected from the hospital medical records， including the disease type， gender， age， length of hospital stay， outcome， and hospitalization expenses. The costs of different hand hygiene methods and differing approaches to environmental cleaning and disinfection were analyzed and compared. ResultsThere were significant differences in the length of hospital stay （Z=-5.35， P<0.05） and total hospitalization expenses （Z=-6.79， P<0.05） between the CLABSI and non-CLABSI group. Total hospitalization expenses showed significant differences among patients with different lengths of hospital stay （H=43.01， P<0.05）， with much higher median one in those with 60 or more days of hospital stay than other patients. Greater differences of median total hospitalization expenses were found in males than in females （Z=-3.98， P<0.05）， as well as in patients aged 60-80 years than in patients of other ages （Z=-5.79， P<0.05）. ConclusionsThe occurrence of CLABSI significantly increases the ICU patients’ length of hospital stay and hospitalization expenses. There are differences in the costs of different hand hygiene methods and differing approaches to environmental cleaning and disinfection， but these costs are acceptable compared to the incremental costs directly attributable to CLABSI. Therefore， medical institutions should attach importance to the investment in prevention and control of nosocomial infections such as hand hygiene and environmental cleaning and disinfection， formulate practical， reasonable and feasible plans， and ensure their implementation， in order to avoid nosocomial infections， improve the medical quality， effectively control patients’ length of hospital stay and hospitalization costs， and strive to maintain patient safety.

Background The decline of physical activity in the elderly due to aging may increase the risk of sarcopenia. Currently, there is a lack of evidence from large natural populations on the relationship between PA and sarcopenia. Objective To explore the relationship between PA and sarcopenia in the elderly aged 60 years and above in 10 provinces (autonomous regions) of China. Methods Data were retrieved from the 2022—2023 round of the China Development and Nutrition Health Impact Cohort. Personal basic information and PA data were collected by questionnaire survey. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by bio-electrical impedance analysis, muscle strength was measured using a grip dynamometer, and physical performance was reflected by 6-meter walk speed. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria were used to diagnose sarcopenia. Light physical activity (LPA) duration, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration, and total physical activity volume were calculated. A total of 3326 residents aged ≥60 years with complete data were selected as the survey participants. Multiple logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to assess the association between PA duration/volume and sarcopenia. Results In 10 provinces (autonomous regions) of China, the prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly aged 60 years and above was 5.5% (95%CI: 4.7%, 6.2%). The logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the elderly reporting 0-7.0 h·week⁻¹ in LPA duration, the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly with LPA duration of >14.0-21.0 h·week⁻¹ was reduced by 51% (OR=0.49, 95%CI: 0.26, 0.96). Compared with the elderly with total physical activity ≥15.0 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-h·week⁻¹, those with <7.5 MET-h·week⁻¹ had a 2.24-fold increased risk of sarcopenia (OR=2.24, 95%CI: 1.17, 4.29). The RCS results found that LPA duration and total physical activity volume each showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with the risk of sarcopenia (P_overall<0.05, P_non-linear<0.05). Compared with the elderly with an LPA duration of 0 h· week⁻¹, the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly with an LPA duration of 12.6 h· week⁻¹ was the lowest (OR=0.42, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.83). Compared with the elderly with a total physical activity volume of 15.0 MET-h· week⁻¹, the elderly with a total physical activity volume of 46.0 MET-h· week⁻¹ had the lowest risk of sarcopenia (OR=0.57, 95%CI: 0.38, 0.84). There was no statistically significant association between weekly MVPA duration and the risk of sarcopenia (P>0.05). Conclusion Increasing weekly LPA duration and total physical activity volume would help to reduce the risk of sarcopenia.

OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests that the gut may be a primary site of metformin action. However, studies on the effects of metformin on gut microbiota remain limited, and its impact on gut microbial metabolites such as short-/medium-chain fatty acids is unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of metformin on gut microbiota, short-/medium-chain fatty acids, and associated metabolic benefits in high-fat diet rats. METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: 1) Normal diet group (ND group), fed standard chow; 2) high-fat diet group (HFD group), fed a high-fat diet; 3) high-fat diet + metformin treatment group (HFD+Met group), fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks, followed by daily intragastric administration of metformin solution (150 mg/kg body weight) starting in week 9. At the end of the experiment, all rats were sacrificed, and serum, liver, and colonic contents were collected for assessment of glucose and lipid metabolism, liver pathology, gut microbiota composition, and the concentrations of short-/medium-chain fatty acids. RESULTS: Metformin significantly improved HFD-induced glucose and lipid metabolic disorders and liver injury. Compared with the HFD group, the HFD+Met group showed reduced abundance of Blautia, Romboutsia, Bilophila, and Bacteroides, while Lactobacillus abundance significantly increased (all P<0.05). Colonic contents of butyric acid, 2-methyl butyric acid, valeric acid, octanoic acid, and lauric acid were significantly elevated (all P<0.05), whereas acetic acid, isoheptanoic acid, and nonanoic acid levels were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Lactobacillus abundance was negatively correlated with body weight gain and insulin resistance, while butyrate and valerate levels were negatively correlated with insulin resistance and liver injury (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Metformin significantly increases the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and promotes the production of short-/medium-chain fatty acids including butyric, valeric, and lauric acid in the colonic contents of HFD rats, suggesting that metformin may regulate host metabolism through modulation of the gut microbiota.
Animals ; Metformin/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Rats ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Fatty Acids/metabolism*