ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Huangqi Gegentang （HGT） in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） through the application of proteomic techniques. MethodsThe rat model of T2DM was established by streptozotocin combined with a high-fat， high-sugar diet. Thirty-two male SD rats were randomized into four groups： blank， model， HGT （8.10 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and positive control （metformin hydrochloride， 76.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）. After 6 weeks of drug intervention， the fasting blood glucose level was measured， and an oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） was performed. The area under the curve （AUC） was calculated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to assess the level of glycated hemoglobin （GHbA1c） in the serum. The limulus amebocyte lysate assay was employed to measure the serum level of lipopolysaccharide （LPS）. Pathological changes in the colon were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin （IL）-6， and IL-1β in the colon tissue were quantified via Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. Additionally， the protein and mRNA levels of zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， Occludin， and Claudin-1 in the colon tissue were assessed by Western blot and Real-time PCR， respectively. Label-free quantitative proteomics was employed to identify the differentially expressed proteins between the colon tissue samples from the blank， model， and HGT groups. Key proteins identified were subsequently validated by Western blot and Real-time PCR. Finally， bioinformatics analysis was conducted on the differentially expressed proteins. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group exhibited increased fasting blood glucose， AUC， and GHbA1c levels （P<0.01）， damaged colonic mucosal epithelial structure and inflammatory cell infiltration， up-regulated mRNA levels of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β in the colon and an increase in serum LPS content （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of ZO-1， Occludin， and Claudin-1 in the colon （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the HGT group showed reductions in fasting blood glucose， AUC， and GHbA1c （P<0.01）， alleviated damage to the colonic mucosal epithelium， down-regulated mRNA levels of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β in the colon， a reduction in serum LPS content （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of ZO-1， Occludin， and Claudin-1 in the colon （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Proteomics analysis identified 70 differentially expressed proteins that exhibited a downward trend in the model group relative to the blank group and an upward trend in the HGT group relative to the model group. These findings were corroborated by Western blot and Real-time PCR， which confirmed that the protein and mRNA levels of mucin 2 （Muc2） and transforming growth factor （TGF）-beta receptor 1 （Tgfbr1） in the colon tissue were consistent with the proteomic data. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these 70 differentially expressed proteins identified were significantly enriched in multiple signaling pathways， among which the TGF-β and advanced glycation endproduct （AGE）/receptor for advanced glycation endproduct （RAGE） signaling pathways were closely associated with damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier. This suggests that HGT may ameliorate intestinal mucosal barrier damage by regulating these pathways. ConclusionHGT potentially exerts anti-T2DM effects by influencing AGE/RAGE and TGF-β signaling pathways， thereby contributing to the restoration of the intestinal mucosal barrier.

BackgroundModified electroconvulsive therapy （MECT） is a common front-line strategy widely used in psychiatric practice， and the optimal first stimulus dosage in MECT is usually estimated clinically based on the factors influencing the patient's initial seizure threshold （IST）. However， previous studies on the influencing factors of IST have mostly suffered from limitations such as small sample sizes and single-dimensional research perspectives. ObjectiveTo explore the factors influencing IST in MECT for patients with mental disorders， so as to provide references for stimulus dosing strategies in MECT for the patients. MethodsA retrospective study was used to include 1 446 inpatients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for any specific mental disorder listed in the ICD-10 and receiving MECT at Shandong Daizhuang Hospital from January 1， 2021 to August 1， 2023. Their general and clinical data were collected， including IST， psychiatric diagnostic categories， gender， ethnicity， age， body weight， body mass index （BMI）， course of disease， family history of psychiatric disorders， first episode status， use of antiepileptic drugs the day before treatment， use of benzodiazepines the day before treatment， and previous MECT treatment history. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to test the correlation of IST with age， height， body weight， BMI， and course of disease， and stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting IST. ResultsIST yielded statistical difference among patients in terms of gender， first episode status， use of antiepileptic drugs the day before treatment， and use of benzodiazepines the day before treatment （t=2.256， -3.059， -2.136， -3.006， P<0.05 or 0.01）. IST in patients of different ages and psychiatric diagnostic categories also demonstrated statistical difference （F=913.120， 6.212， P<0.01）. Within young population， IST varied significantly based on the psychiatric diagnostic categories （F=2.986， P<0.05）. Correlation analysis indicated that IST was positively correlated with age， body weight， BMI and course of disease （r=0.886， 0.055， 0.184， 0.456， P<0.05 or 0.01）， and negatively correlated with height （r=-0.183， P<0.01）. Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that age， gender， and body weight were influencing factors of IST （β=0.888， -0.049， -0.035， P<0.01）. ConclusionsAge， gender and body weight may be factors influencing IST in MECT for patients with mental disorders. ［Funded by Key R&D Plan Projects of Jining City in 2024 (number, 2024YXNS202）］

Reactive astrocytes, which exhibit a correlation with the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, are present in a considerable number during the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the underlying factors shaping astrocyte reactivity and neuroinflammation in PD remain inadequately elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7)/FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) autocrine signaling intensifies astrocyte reactivity and inflammation. Genetic deletion of Arrb2, β-Arrestin2 encoding gene, led to escalated astrocyte reactivity in MPTP-treated mice, which was further substantiated in astrocyte-specific Arrb2 knockdown mice. RNA sequencing profiling of Arrb2 knockout astrocytes identified Fgf7 as a critical effector of astrocyte reactivity. Subsequently, conditional knockdown of Fgf7 and its receptor Fgfr2 in astrocytes elicited advantageous effects for MPTP-treated mice by restraining the inflammatory phenotypic transition of reactive astrocytes. Furthermore, deletion of astrocytic Fgf7 mitigated MPTP-induced pathology in Arrb2 knockout mice. Mechanistically, STAT1 was distinguished as the transcription factor suppressing Fgf7 expression, while β-Arrestin2 counteracted the proteasomal degradation of STAT1 by binding to RNF220, an E3 ubiquitin ligase for STAT1. More importantly, selectively engaging dopamine D2 receptor (Drd2)/β-Arrestin2-biased signaling using the agonist UNC9995 exhibited therapeutic potential in MPTP-treated mice via moderation of astrocytic FGF7 production, thereby restoring balance in astrocyte reactivity. Collectively, our study bridges a crucial knowledge gap by elucidating the novel functions of FGF family members within the central nervous system, particularly within the context of PD. The autocrine signaling of FGF7/FGFR2 represents a novel mechanism and a potential druggable target for modulating astrocyte-derived inflammation.

Objective:To re-evaluate the effectiveness of exercise interventions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by conducting a systematic review and provide insights for the implementation and continuous improvement of exercise intervention strategies.Methods:A comprehensive search was conducted across databases, including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Campbell Collaboration, and the Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Health Care Center Database. The search covered literature from the inception of the databases until December 19, 2023. Two researchers trained in evidence-based nursing independently screened the literature. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool, and the quality of evidence was graded using the GRADE system.Results:Eight systematic reviews were included. The AMSTAR 2 evaluation revealed one review of moderate quality, six of low quality, and one of very low quality. GRADE assessment of 33 outcome indicators showed that one piece of evidence was of moderate quality, 24 were of low quality, and eight were of very low quality.Conclusions:Exercise interventions may improve overall functional outcomes in ALS patients without exacerbating fatigue. However, due to the limitations in the quantity and quality of the included studies, further large-scale, high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to verify the effects of exercise interventions in ALS patients.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization and the prognosis in patients with extensive burns, in order to explore the hemoglobin warning threshold for blood transfusion in patients with extensive burns.Methods:The research was a retrospective observational study. From October 2012 to October 2022, 288 patients with extensive burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (the Third Military Medical University), including 243 males and 45 females, aged 18 to 65 years. These patients were assigned to the death group ( n=54) and the survival group ( n=234) based on their final prognosis. The clinical data including gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, time of first operation after injury, preoperative prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and hemoglobin level of the first surgery, complication of inhalation injury, number of surgeries, total surgical area, total surgical time, total length of hospital stay, and highest procalcitonin value, lowest platelet count and hemoglobin values, and occurrence of sepsis during hospitalization were compared between the two groups of patients. According to the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization, the patients were assigned to <65 g/L group, ≥65 g/L and <75 g/L group, ≥75 g/L and <85 g/L group, and ≥85 g/L group. The total length of hospital stay, mortality and incidence of sepsis during hospitalization, and mortality within 90 days after injury were compared among the four groups of patients. The relationship between the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization and the mortality risk of patients with extensive burns was analyzed using a restricted cubic spline model before and after adjusting covariates. A logistic regression model was adopted to analyze the relationship between the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization and the mortality risk of patients with extensive burns after adjusting covariates, with the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization as a continuous variable and a categorical variable, separately. Results:Compared with those in survival group, the total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and total surgical area of patients in death group were significantly increased, the preoperative APTT of the first surgery was significantly prolonged, the number of surgeries was significantly reduced, the total length of hospital stay was significantly shortened, the highest procalcitonin value during hospitalization was significantly increased, the lowest platelet count and hemoglobin values during hospitalization were significantly decreased, and the incidence proportion of sepsis during hospitalization was significantly increased (with Z values of -6.72, -5.40, -2.15, -2.99, -2.21, -7.84, -6.23, -7.03, and -3.43, respectively, χ2=161.95, P values all <0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the other clinical data of patients between the two groups ( P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in mortality and incidence of sepsis during hospitalization, and mortality within 90 days after injury of patients among the four groups divided according to the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization (with χ2 values of 12.12, 15.93, and 10.62, respectively, P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the total length of hospital stay of patients among the four groups ( P>0.05). The restricted cubic spline model analysis revealed an approximately linear relationship between the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization and the mortality risk of patients with extensive burns before and after adjusting covariates (with χ2 values of 0.81 and 0.75, respectively, P>0.05). After adjusting covariates, the logistic regression model analysis showed that the mortality risk of patients with extensive burns increased with decreasing hemoglobin when the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization was analyzed as a continuous variable (with odds ratio of 0.96, with 95% confidence interval of 0.92 to 0.99, P<0.05). When using the median value of 75.5 g/L as the cut-off value for categorizing the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization, there was no statistically significant difference in the mortality risk between patients with hemoglobin <75.5 g/L and those with hemoglobin ≥75.5 g/L ( P>0.05). When the patients were divided into four groups based on the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization as above, using ≥85 g/L group as a reference, only patients in <65 g/L group had a significantly increased mortality risk (with odds ratio of 5.37, with 95% confidence interval of 1.57 to 18.29, P<0.05). Conclusions:There is an approximately linear correlation between the lowest hemoglobin value during hospitalization and the mortality risk of patients with extensive burns. When the hemoglobin level drops to 65 g/L or lower, the mortality risk of patients increases significantly, suggesting that a hemoglobin level of 65 g/L could serve as a warning threshold for blood transfusion in patients with extensive burns.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of discriminative application of Chinese patent medicines in female patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Methods:The study population was from the Chinese Patent Medicine (CPM) trial. CPM trial was a multicenter prospective cohort study, which enrolled patients from 40 centers in mainland China between February 2012 and December 2015, with the discriminative use of Chinese patent medicines as the exposure factor. Female patients with ACS after PCI who completed 36-month follow-up were included in this analysis, and were divided into a conventional treatment group (using conventional western medicine recommended by the guidelines) and a group with the discriminative use of proprietary Chinese medicines (on the basis of conventional western medicine treatment, discriminative use of Qishen Yiqi dropping pills for Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, Guanxin Danshen dropping pills for blood stasis syndrome, and Danlou tablets for phlegm and blood stasis syndrome combined with the conventional western medicine). The primary endpoint event was a composite endpoint event including cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and emergency revascularization surgery. Secondary endpoint events were composite endpoint events including readmission for ACS, heart failure, stroke, and other thrombotic events. Adverse events were collected. Cox proportional risk model was used to assess the effect of discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicine on endpoint events, and sensitivity analysis was performed by comparing the results with propensity score matching analysis.Results:A total of 748 female ACS post-PCI patients were included in the analysis, aged (63.2±8.3) years. There were 370 patients in the group of discriminative application of Chinese patent medicines and 378 patients in the conventional treatment group. There were 37 cases (10.0%) and 58 cases (15.3%) of primary endpoint events in the discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicines group and the conventional treatment group, respectively. Cox analysis showed that the risk of primary endpoint in the discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicines group was lower than that in the conventional treatment group after adjusting for confounding factors (adjusted HR=0.62, 95% CI 0.40-0.96, P=0.031). There were 38 (10.3%) and 57 (15.1%) cases of secondary endpoint events in the two groups, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed that the risk of secondary endpoint events in the discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicine group was lower than that in the conventional treatment group after adjusting for confounders (adjusted HR=0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.87, P=0.001). The results of propensity score matching analysis also showed that Chinese patent medicines based on discriminatory application could reduce the risk of primary endpoint ( HR=0.62,95% CI 0.40-0.97 ,P=0.033) and second endpoint ( HR=0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.87, P=0.009) significantly. There was no significant difference in adverse events between the two groups (12.4% (46/370) vs. 10.3% (39/378), P=0.362). Conclusion:On the basis of conventional western medicine treatment, discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicines can reduce the risk of endpoints in female patients after PCI due to ACS without significant adverse effects.

Objective:To explore the force distribution on the maxillary dentition when the first and second molars distalized simultaneously with different step sizes using clear aligners in vitro in order to provide a theoretical basis for the rational design of molar distalization. Methods:Clear aligners were designed to simultaneously distalize the maxillary first and second molars bilaterally, with rectangular attachments placed on the buccal surfaces of the first and second premolars, as well as the second molars. Based on different step sizes, the aligners were divided into three groups: Group A (0.15 mm per step), Group B (0.20 mm per step), and Group C (0.25 mm per step). Ten aligners were fabricated for each group using 0.76 mm thick polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) sheets. A three-dimensional force measurement system was used to measure the forces exerted on each tooth by the aligners, the first and second molars served as the target teeth and the remaining teeth as anchorage teeth. The three-dimensional force data were compared among the three groups.Results:In the mesiodistal direction, the forces on the central and lateral incisors were relatively small among all three groups, with no statistically significant differences ( P>0.05). However, significant differences were observed in the forces on the canines, first premolars, second premolars, first molars, and second molars ( P<0.05). The distal forces on the second molars in Groups B and C were (6.13±1.45) N and (6.83±1.58) N, respectively, significantly higher than that in Group A [(3.51±1.01) N] ( P<0.05). The distal force on the first molars in Group C [(6.62±0.89) N] was significantly higher than that in Groups A and B ( P<0.05). The mesial reactive forces on the first and second premolars in Groups B and C were significantly higher than those in Group A ( P<0.05). The mesial reactive force on the canines in Group C [(-2.98±1.33) N] was significantly higher than that in Group A [(-1.69±0.68) N] ( P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between Groups B and C in the forces on the canines, first premolars, and second premolars ( P>0.05). In the buccolingual direction, there were no statistically significant differences in the forces on the central and lateral incisors among three groups ( P>0.05), but significant differences were observed in the forces on the canines, second premolars, and second molars ( P<0.05). The buccolingual forces on the canines, second premolars, and second molars in Group B were (-0.56±0.54), (-2.07±0.95), (1.13±0.55) N, respectively, significantly higher than those in Group A ( P<0.05), but there were no significant differences compared to Group C ( P>0.05). Compared to the mesiodistal and buccolingual forces, the vertical forces on the target and anchorage teeth were relatively small in all three groups. Conclusions:When using 0.76 mm thick PET-G sheets to fabricate clear aligners for simultaneous molar distalization, a step size of 0.20 mm per step is recommended. To prevent buccal tipping of the molars during distalization, it is advisable to design lingual displacement for the molars and buccal displacement for the adjacent anchorage teeth to counteract the unfavorable forces, with attachments placed on the primary anchorage teeth.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for asparaginase-associated pancreatitis (AAP) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after treatment with pegaspargase and evaluate the predictive value of pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, pediatric acute pancreatitis severity (PAPS) score, Ranson′s score and pediatric Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (JPN) score for severe AAP.Methods:Cross-sectional study.The clinical data of 328 children with ALL who received pegaspargase treatment in the Department of Pediatric Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University from January 2014 to August 2021, as well as their clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and imaging examinations were collected.The SOFA score at the time of AAP diagnosis, PAPS score and Ranson′s score at 48 hours after AAP diagnosis, and JPN score at 72 hours after AAP diagnosis were calculated, and their predictive value for severe AAP was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:A total of 6.7%(22/328) of children had AAP, with the median age of 6.62 years.AAP most commonly occurred in the induced remission phase (16/22, 72.7%). Three AAP children were re-exposed to asparaginase, and 2 of them developed a second AAP.Among the 22 AAP children, 16 presented with mild symptoms, and 6 with severe symptoms.The 6 children with severe AAP were all transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). There were no significant differences in gender, white blood cell count at first diagnosis, immunophenotype, risk stratification, and single dose of pegaspargase between the AAP and non-AAP groups.The age at diagnosis of ALL in the AAP group was significantly higher than that in the non-AAP group ( t=2.385, P=0.018). The number of overweight or obese children in the AAP group was also higher than that in the non-AAP group ( χ2=4.507, P=0.034). The areas under the ROC curve of children′s JPN score, SOFA score, Ranson′s score, and PAPS score in predicting severe AAP were 0.919, 0.844, 0.731, and 0.606, respectively.The JPN score ( t=4.174, P=0.001) and the SOFA score ( t=3.181, P=0.005) showed statistically significant differences between mild and severe AAP. Conclusions:AAP is a serious complication in the treatment of ALL with combined pegaspargase and chemotherapy.Older age and overweight or obesity may be the risk factors for AAP.Pediatric JPN and SOFA scores have predictive value for severe AAP.

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder is one of the most disabling mental diseases. Currently， medication in combination with physiotherapy and psychotherapy remains the most commonly used treatment modality for the disease， whereas only a few randomized controlled studies have been conducted on physiotherapy， and even fewer studies have focused on medication combined with physiotherapy. ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy and safety profile of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） versus modified electroconvulsive therapy （MECT） in combination with antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder， so as to provide an optimized treatment plan for patients with major depressive disorder. MethodsPatients with major depressive disorder （n=335） hospitalized in Shandong Daizhuang Hospital from January 1， 2019 to April 30， 2023 were included， all of whom met the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Diseases， tenth edition （ICD-10）. Depending on their disease condition， patients were subjected to either MECT in combination with drugs （n=141） or rTMS in combination with drugs （n=194） after admission. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Hamilton Depression Scale-24 item （HAMD-24） at the baseline and the end of the 1^st， 2^nd， 3^rd and 4^th week of treatment， and the adverse reactions were documented in patient's medical records. ResultsAnalysis of variance on HAMD-24 revealed a significant effect of time （F=3.081， P=0.042）， but no effect of group （F=1.023， P=0.313）， and the interaction effect between the time and the groups was not statistically significant （F=1.642， P=0.191）. No statistical difference was reported between two groups in response rate and full remission rate （P>0.05）. Throughout the course of treatment， 58 cases （41.13%） of recent memory impairment and 74 cases （52.48%） of headache or neck muscle pain occurred in MECT combined with drugs group， and 27 cases （13.92%） in rTMS combined with drugs group experienced headache or head skin discomfort. ConclusionAntidepressants in combination with rTMS or MECT show equivalent efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder， while rTMS combined with antidepressants demonstrates a superior safety profile compared to MECT.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Jiaohong pills （JHP） and its prescription， Pericarpium Zanthoxyli （PZ） and Rehmanniae Radix （RR） cognitive dysfunction in scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's disease （AD） mice and its mechanism through pharmacodynamic and metabolomics study. MethodThe animal model of AD induced by scopolamine was established and treated with PZ， RG and JHP， respectively. The effects of JHP and its formulations were investigated by open field test， water maze test， object recognition test， avoidance test， cholinergic system and oxidative stress related biochemical test. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of cerebral cortex was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-Quadrupole/Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS）. ResultThe behavioral data showed that， compared with the model group， the discrimination indexes of the high dose of JHP， PZ and RR groups was significantly increased （P<0.05）. The staging rate of Morris water maze test in the PZ， RR， high and low dose groups of JHP was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， the crossing numbers in the PZ， JHP high and low dose groups were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）； the number of errors in the avoidance test were significantly reduced in the PZ and high-dose JHP groups （P<0.01）， and the error latencies were significantly increased in the JHP and its prescription drug groups （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the activities of acetylcholinesterase in the cerebral cortex of the two doses of JHP group and the PZ group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the activity of acetylcholinesterase in the high-dose JHP group was significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the level of acetylcholine was significantly increased （P<0.01）. At the same time， the contents of malondialdehyde in the serum of the two dose groups of JHP decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of metabolomics study of cerebral cortex showed that 149 differential metabolites were identified between the JHP group and the model group， which were involved in neurotransmitter metabolism， energy metabolism， oxidative stress and amino acid metabolism. ConclusionJHP and its prescription can antagonize scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction， regulate cholinergic system， and reduce oxidative stress damage. The mechanism of its therapeutic effect on AD is related to the regulation of neurotransmitter， energy， amino acid metabolism， and improvement of oxidative stress.