Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a distinctive subtype, characterized by the absence of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Due to its high inter-tumor and intra-tumor heterogeneity, TNBC poses significant chanllenges for personalized diagnosis and treatment. The advant of clustered regular interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology has profoundly enhanced our understanding of the structure and function of the TNBC genome, providing a powerful tool for investigating the occurrence and development of diseases. This review focuses on the application of CRISPR/Cas technology in the personalized diagnosis and treatment of TNBC. We begin by discussing the unique attributes of TNBC and the limitations of current diagnostic and treatment approaches: conventional diagnostic methods provide limited insights into TNBC, while traditional chemotherapy drugs are often associated with low efficacy and severe side effects. The CRISPR/Cas system, which activates Cas enzymes through complementary guide RNAs (gRNAs) to selectively degrade specific nucleic acids, has emerged as a robust tool for TNBC research. This technology enables precise gene editing, allowing for a deeper understanding of TNBC heterogeneity by marking and tracking diverse cell clones. Additionally, CRISPR facilitates high-throughput screening to promptly identify genes involved in TNBC growth, metastasis, and drug resistance, thus revealing new therapeutic targets and strategies. In TNBC diagnostics, CRISPR/Cas was applied to develop molecular diagnostic systems based on Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13, each employing distinct detection principles. These systems can sensitively and specifically detect a variety of TNBC biomarkers, including cell-specific DNA/RNA and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). In the realm of precision therapy, CRISPR/Cas has been utilized to identify key genes implicated in TNBC progression and treatment resistance. CRISPR-based screening has uncovered potential therapeutic targets, while its gene-editing capabilities have facilitated the development of combination therapies with traditional chemotherapy drugs, enhancing their efficacy. Despite its promise, the clinical translation of CRISPR/Cas technology remains in its early stages. Several clinical trials are underway to assess its safety and efficacy in the treatment of various genetic diseases and cancers. Challenges such as off-target effects, editing efficiency, and delivery methods remain to be addressed. The integration of CRISPR/Cas with other technologies, such as 3D cell culture systems, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), and artificial intelligence (AI), is expected to further advance precision medicine for TNBC. These technological convergences can offer deeper insights into disease mechanisms and facilitate the development of personalized treatment strategies. In conclusion, the CRISPR/Cas system holds immense potential in the precise diagnosis and treatment of TNBC. As the technology progresses and becomes more costs-effective, its clinical relevance will grow, and the translation of CRISPR/Cas system data into clinical applications will pave the way for optimal diagnosis and treatment strategies for TNBC patients. However, technical hurdles and ethical considerations require ongoing research and regulation to ensure safety and efficacy.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a non-invasive, high temporal-resolution technique for monitoring brain activity. However, affected by the volume conduction effect, EEG has a low spatial resolution and is difficult to locate brain neuronal activity precisely. The surface Laplacian (SL) technique obtains the Laplacian EEG (LEEG) by estimating the second-order spatial derivative of the scalp potential. LEEG can reflect the radial current activity under the scalp, with positive values indicating current flow from the brain to the scalp (“source”) and negative values indicating current flow from the scalp to the brain (“sink”). It attenuates signals from volume conduction, effectively improving the spatial resolution of EEG, and is expected to contribute to breakthroughs in neural engineering. This paper provides a systematic overview of the principles and development of SL technology. Currently, there are two implementation paths for SL technology: current source density algorithms (CSD) and concentric ring electrodes (CRE). CSD performs the Laplace transform of the EEG signals acquired by conventional disc electrodes to indirectly estimate the LEEG. It can be mainly classified into local methods, global methods, and realistic Laplacian methods. The global method is the most commonly used approach in CSD, which can achieve more accurate estimation compared with the local method, and it does not require additional imaging equipment compared with the realistic Laplacian method. CRE employs new concentric ring electrodes instead of the traditional disc electrodes, and measures the LEEG directly by differential acquisition of the multi-ring signals. Depending on the structure, it can be divided into bipolar CRE, quasi-bipolar CRE, tripolar CRE, and multi-pole CRE. The tripolar CRE is widely used due to its optimal detection performance. While ensuring the quality of signal acquisition, the complexity of its preamplifier is relatively acceptable. Here, this paper introduces the study of the SL technique in resting rhythms, visual-related potentials, movement-related potentials, and sensorimotor rhythms. These studies demonstrate that SL technology can improve signal quality and enhance signal characteristics, confirming its potential applications in neuroscientific research, disease diagnosis, visual pathway detection, and brain-computer interfaces. CSD is frequently utilized in applications such as neuroscientific research and disease detection, where high-precision estimation of LEEG is required. And CRE tends to be used in brain-computer interfaces, that have stringent requirements for real-time data processing. Finally, this paper summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of SL technology and envisages its future development. SL technology boasts advantages such as reference independence, high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, enhanced source connectivity analysis, and noise suppression. However, it also has shortcomings that can be further improved. Theoretically, simulation experiments should be conducted to investigate the theoretical characteristics of SL technology. For CSD methods, the algorithm needs to be optimized to improve the precision of LEEG estimation, reduce dependence on the number of channels, and decrease computational complexity and time consumption. For CRE methods, the electrodes need to be designed with appropriate structures and sizes, and the low-noise, high common-mode rejection ratio preamplifier should be developed. We hope that this paper can promote the in-depth research and wide application of SL technology.

Based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS) technology and network pharmacology, this study explored the pharmacodynamic substances and potential mechanisms of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in the treatment of gouty arthritis(GA). UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS technology was used to identify the components in Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction, and the qualitative analysis of its active ingredients was carried out, with a total of 184 active ingredients identified. A total of 897 active ingredient targets were screened through the PharmMapper database, and 491 GA-related disease targets were obtained from the OMIM, GeneCards, CTD databases. After Venn analysis, 60 intersecting targets were obtained. The component target-GA target network was constructed through the Cytoscape platform, and the STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network, with 16 core targets screened. The core targets were subjected to Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, and the component-target-pathway network was constructed. It was found that the main active ingredients of the formula for the treatment of GA were phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, and the key targets were SRC, MMP3, MMP9, REN, ALB, IGF1R, PPARG, MAPK1, HPRT1, and CASP1. Through GO analysis, it was found that the treatment of GA mainly involved biological processes such as lipid response, bacterial response, and biostimulus response. KEGG analysis showed that the pathways related to the treatment of GA included lipids and atherosclerosis, neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs), IL-17, and so on. In summary, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids may be the core pharmacodynamic substances of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in the treatment of GA, and the pharmacodynamic mechanism may be related to SRC, MMP3, MMP9, and other targets, as well as lipids and atherosclerosis, NETs, IL-17, and other pathways.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Network Pharmacology ; Arthritis, Gouty/metabolism* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

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.

BACKGROUND: China is seeing a growing demand for rehabilitation treatments for post-stroke upper limb spastic paresis (PSSP-UL). Although acupuncture is known to be effective for PSSP-UL, there is room to enhance its efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study explored a semi-personalized acupuncture approach for PSSP-UL that used three-dimensional kinematic analysis (3DKA) results to select additional acupoints, and investigated the feasibility, efficacy and safety of this approach. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This single-blind, single-center, randomized, controlled trial involved 74 participants who experienced a first-ever ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with spastic upper limb paresis. The participants were then randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups received conventional treatments and acupuncture treatment 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The main acupoints in both groups were the same, while participants in the intervention group received additional acupoints selected on the basis of 3DKA results. Follow-up assessments were conducted for 8 weeks after the treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) response rate (≥ 6-point change) at week 4. Secondary outcomes included changes in motor function (FMA-UE), Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS), manual muscle test (MMT), spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale, MAS), and activities of daily life (Modified Barthel Index, MBI) at week 4 and week 12. RESULTS: Sixty-four participants completed the trial and underwent analyses. Compared with control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly higher FMA-UE response rate at week 4 (χ² = 5.479, P = 0.019) and greater improvements in FMA-UE at both week 4 and week 12 (both P < 0.001). The intervention group also showed bigger improvements from baseline in the MMT grades for shoulder adduction and elbow flexion at weeks 4 and 12 as well as thumb adduction at week 4 (P = 0.007, P = 0.049, P = 0.019, P = 0.008, P = 0.029, respectively). The intervention group showed a better change in the MBI at both week 4 and week 12 (P = 0.004 and P = 0.010, respectively). Although the intervention group had a higher BRS for the hand at week 12 (P = 0.041), no intergroup differences were observed at week 4 (all P > 0.05). The two groups showed no differences in MAS grades as well as in BRS for the arm at weeks 4 and 12 (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Semi-personalized acupuncture prescription based on 3DKA results significantly improved motor function, muscle strength, and activities of daily living in patients with PSSP-UL. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200056216. Please cite this article as: Huang XY, Liao OP, Jiang SY, Tao JM, Li Y, Lu XY, Li YY, Wang C, Li J, Ma XP. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis can improve the efficacy of acupoint selection for post-stroke patients with upper limb spastic paresis: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 15-24.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Upper Extremity/physiopathology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Single-Blind Method ; Aged ; Stroke/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Stroke Rehabilitation/methods* ; Adult ; Muscle Spasticity/therapy* ; Paresis/physiopathology* ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the relationship between bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out and the intervention effect of aerobic exercise on bedtime procrastination,so as to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for remedying bedtime procrastination.Methods Totally 988 students were selected through random sampling and then surveyed with the bedtime procrastination scale and the fear of missing out scale.Correlation and regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out.A total of 36 students were recruited from the 988 students to participate in the exercise intervention and they were assigned into an exercise group and a control group by the random number table method,with 18 students in each group.The exercise group performed aerobic exercise for 12 weeks,while the control group maintained daily activities.The participants' scores on the bedtime procrastination scale and the fear of missing out scale were recorded before and after the intervention and compared.Results The fear of missing out was positively correlated with bedtime procrastination among college students(r=0.214,P<0.001),and it was an important predictive factor for bedtime procrastination(β=0.241,P<0.001).After the intervention,the scores of bedtime procrastination scale decreased in the exercise group(t=2.277,P=0.036),while there was no significant difference in the scores of the control group before and after intervention(t=-0.787,P=0.442).Conclusions A high level of fear of missing out indicates severe bedtime procrastination.And 12-week exercise intervention could remedy bedtime procrastination.
Humans ; Fear ; Exercise ; Male ; Female ; Procrastination ; Young Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Students/psychology* ; Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Adolescent

Objective To observe the effect of Anchang Formula(mainly composed of Agrimoniae Herba,Sanguisorbae Radix,Poria,Pulsatillae Radix,Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,and fried Paeoniae Radix Alba)combined with Aluminum Phosphate Gel on inflammatory factors,immune function and intestinal flora in patients with radiation enteritis caused by radiotherapy for cervical cancer.Methods Seventy-eight patients with radiation enteritis caused by radiotherapy for cervical cancer were randomly divided into combined group(41 cases)and reference group(37 cases).The reference group was treated with Aluminum Phosphate Gel,and the combined group was treated with Anchang Formula combined with Aluminum Phosphate Gel.The course of treatment for the two groups lasted for 15 days.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,serum interleukin 2(IL-2),procalcitonin(PCT),T lymphocyte subsets CD4+,CD8+,CD4+/CD8+ levels and intestinal flora in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)After 15 days of treatment,the total effective rate of the combined group was 90.24%(37/41),and that of the reference group was 70.27%(26/37).The intergroup comparison showed that the clinical efficacy of the combined group was significantly superior to that of the reference group(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the scores of TCM symptoms of mucopurulent bloody stool,diarrhea,tenesmus and abdominal pain in the two groups were lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease in the combined group was significantly superior to that in the reference group(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the levels of serum inflammatory factors of IL-2 and PCT in the two groups were lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the decrease in the combined group was more obvious than that in the reference group(P＜0.01).(4)After treatment,the levels of immune function indicators of T lymphocyte subsets CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the two groups were higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the level of CD8+ was lower than that before treatment(P＜0.05).The increase of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ levels and the decrease of CD8+ levels in the combined group were more obvious than those in the reference group(P＜0.01).(5)After treatment,the levels of intestinal flora of Lactobacillus,Bifidobacterium and Escherichia coli in the two groups were higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the increase in the combined group was more obvious that in the reference group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Anchang Formula combined with Aluminum Phosphate Gel exerts significant efficacy for the treatment of patients with radiation enteritis caused by radiotherapy for cervical cancer.The combined therapy can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of patients,reduce the inflammatory reaction,improve the immune function,and balance the intestinal flora.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of PENG's tendon-separating tuina therapy combined with lateral needling technique for meridian sinew in the treatment of acute scapulohumeral periarthritis(referred to as frozen shoulder),and to provide therapeutic ideas and evidence for the treatment of acute scapulohumeral periarthritis.Methods Sixty patients with acute scapulohumeral periarthritis were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,with 30 cases in each group.The control group was treated with lateral needling technique for meridian sinew,and the treatment group was treated with PENG's tendon-seperating tuina therapy combined with lateral needling technique for meridian sinew.Both groups were treated for once a day,10 times as a course of treatment,and for a total of 2 courses of treatment.The changes of pain Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score and Constant-Murley Scale(CMS)score of shoulder joint function in the two groups were observed before treatment and after one and two course(s)of treatment.Moreover,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)After two courses of treatment,the total effective rate of the treatment group was 90.00%(27/30),and that of the control group was 73.30%(22/30).The overall efficacy(tested by rank sum test)and total effective rate(tested by chi-square test)of the treatment group were significantly superior to those of the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After one and two course(s)of treatment,the VAS scores of pain in the two groups were significantly decreased than those before treatment(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01);after two courses of treatment,VAS scores in the two groups were significantly lower than those after one course of treatment(P＜0.05).The decrease of VAS scores in the treatment group after one and two course(s)of treatment was significantly superior to that in the control group,and the difference were statistically significant(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(3)After one and two course(s)of treatment,the CMS scores of shoulder joint function in the two groups were significantly higher than those before treatment(P＜0.01);after two courses of treatment,the CMS scores in the two groups were higher than those after one course of treatment(P＜0.05).The increase of CMS scores in the treatment group after one and two course(s)of treatment was significantly superior to that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01).Conclusion PENG's tendon-separating tuina therapy combined with lateral needling technique for meridian sinew has a definite clinical effect in the treatment of patients with acute scapulohumeral periarthritis,which can effectively relieve the pain and discomfort of shoulder joint and improve the movement function of shoulder joint.