Prescription optimization is a crucial aspect in the study of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） compounds. In recent years， the introduction of mathematical methods， data mining techniques， and artificial neural networks has provided new tools for elucidating the compatibility rules of TCM compounds. The study of TCM compounds involves numerous variables， including the proportions of different herbs， the specific extraction parts of each ingredient， and the interactions among multiple components. These factors together create a complex nonlinear dose-effect relationship. In this context， it is essential to identify methods that suit the characteristics of TCM compounds and can leverage their advantages for effective application in new drug development. This paper provided a comprehensive review of the cutting-edge optimization experimental design methods applied in recent studies of TCM compound compatibilities. The key technical issues， such as the optimization of source material selection， dosage optimization of compatible herbs， and multi-objective optimization indicators， were discussed. Furthermore， the evaluation methods for component effects were summarized during the optimization process， so as to provide scientific and practical foundations for innovative research in TCM and the development of new drugs based on TCM compounds.

Background Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), as one of the major occupational health issues worldwide, have shown an increasing positive rate year by year. Due to the unique demands of work, operating room nurses exhibit a higher positive rate of WMSDs compared to other occupational groups, necessitating active attention and intervention. Objective To estimate the prevalence of WMSDs among operating room nurses in tertiary hospitals, explore the characteristics and latent categories of WMSDs, and analyze the influencing factors associated with the occurrence of WMSDs. Method Using a randomized cluster sampling method, operating room nurses from nine tertiary hospitals in Urumqi were selected as study participants between December 2023 and January 2024. Data were collected through a general information questionnaire, an ergonomic questionnaire for operating room nurses, and the Chinese Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire. Latent class analysis was employed to examine the patterns of WMSDs among the nurses, while chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression were utilized to analyze the influencing factors of WMSDs. Result A total of 411 valid questionnaires were collected in this survey. The positive rate of WMSDs among operating room nurses in the tertiary hospitals of Urumqi over the past year was 91.9%. The positive rates, ordered from highest to lowest by body region, were neck (79.1%), shoulders (70.3%), and lower back (68.1%). The operating room nurses were categorized into three distinct groups by latent class analysis: multi-site pain group, neck-shoulder-back pain group, and neck and lower back pain group. The results of the multinomial logistic regression models revealed that gender, job strain level, ergonomic load level in the operating room, and exposure to cold or drafty working conditions or not were significant influencing factors for reporting WMSDs among operating room nurses. Specifically, having less than 5 years of work experience, low ergonomic load level, low job strain, and moderate job strain were identified as protective factors against WMSDs. Conversely, exposure to cold or drafty working environments and being female were identified as risk factors for WMSDs. The logistic regression models also indicated that compared to the neck-lower back pain group, the neck-shoulder-back pain group had a higher probability of reporting low job strain (OR=0.168, 95%CI: 0.029, 0.968) and being female (OR=4.847, 95%CI: 2.506, 9.378). In contrast, when comparing to the neck-lower back pain group, the multi-site pain group had a higher probability of reporting, low-level ergonomic workload (OR=0.079, 95%CI: 0.015, 0.412), low job strain (OR=0.019, 95%CI: 0.002, 0.145), moderate job strain (OR=0.080, 95%CI: 0.016, 0.401), high job strain (OR=0.132, 95%CI: 0.027, 0.647), less than 5 years of work experience (OR=0.173, 95%CI: 0.044, 0.683), being female (OR=2.424, 95%CI: 1.130, 5.200), and exposure to cold or drafty working environments (OR=3.277, 95%CI: 1.657, 6.481). Conclusion The positive rate WMSDs among operating room nurses in tertiary hospitals is notably high in Urumqi, with distinct co-occurrence characteristics observed within the population. To mitigate the risk of WMSDs, it is essential to implement targeted health education and prevention training programs tailored to different patterns of WMSDs. Additionally, improving working conditions, optimizing human resource allocation , and other proactive measures should be undertaken. These efforts will effectively reduce the incidence of WMSDs among operating room nurses and safeguard their occupational health.

Objective To investigate the effective components and therapeutic mechanism of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction in treating chronic non-atrophic gastritis. Methods The primary and secondary ion fragments of chemical components of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction were obtained by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Comparing with reference standards and literature information, a comprehensive characterization of the chemical constituents of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction was conducted. Then, the network pharmacology approach was applied to explore the therapeutic mechanism of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction in treatment of chronic non-atrophic gastritis based on the components in plasma and verified by immunohistochemical results. Results A total of 24 absorbed components of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction were characterized, including 11 flavonoid glycosides, 3 fatty acids, 3organic acids, 2 gingerols, 2 flavonoids and, 1 each of fatty aldehydes, triterpenoids and amino acids, which mainly acted on TNF-α, IL-6, STAT3, and PTGS2. It exerted therapeutic effects by modulating signaling pathways, including the IL-17 signaling pathway and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, etc. Conclusion This study provided the first exploration of the effective components and therapeutic mechanism of Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang decoction in treatment of chronic non-atrophic gastritis by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS, which could offer scientific references for its further research.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX) for the prognosis of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted to assess prognosis and compare the clinical features of patients diagnosed with MCL who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2010 to June 2023, had therapeutic indications and received standard treatment. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients were included and divided into high EASIX group and low EASIX group, according to a cutoff value of 0.97 determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that prealbumin <0.2 g/L, high EASIX, and ECOG PS score ≥2 were independent risk factors influencing overall survival (OS) in MCL patients. The median OS of patients in the high and low EASIX group was 13.0 and 37.5 months, and the median progression-free survival was 8.8 and 26.0 months, respectively. The proportions of patients with ECOG PS score ≥2 and prealbumin <0.2 g/L at onset significantly increased in the high EASIX group compared to those in the low EASIX group. CONCLUSION At the time of initial diagnosis, EASIX can serve as an independent prognostic indicator impacting OS in patients with MCL. Furthermore, patients in the high EASIX group experience a poorer prognosis and shorter survival duration compared with those in the low EASIX group.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/pathology* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (STDP) in treating stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome by exercise duration and metabolic equivalents. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled stable angina patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis syndrome from 22 hospitals. They were randomized 1:1 to STDP (35 mg/pill, 6 pills per day) or placebo for 56 days. The primary outcome was the exercise duration and metabolic equivalents (METs) assessed by the standard Bruce exercise treadmill test after 56 days of treatment. The secondary outcomes included the total angina symptom score, Chinese medicine (CM) symptom scores, Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) scores, changes in ST-T on electrocardiogram and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: This trial enrolled 309 patients, including 155 and 154 in the STDP and placebo groups, respectively. STDP significantly prolonged exercise duration with an increase of 51.0 s, compared to a decrease of 12.0 s with placebo (change rate: -11.1% vs. 3.2%, P<0.01). The increase in METs was significantly greater in the STDP group than in the placebo group (change: -0.4 vs. 0.0, change rate: -5.0% vs. 0.0%, P<0.01). The improvement of total angina symptom scores (25.0% vs. 0.0%), CM symptom scores (38.7% vs. 11.8%), reduction of nitroglycerin consumption (100.0% vs. 11.3%), and all domains of SAQ, were significantly greater with STDP than placebo (all P<0.01). The changes in Q-T intervals at 28 and 56 days from baseline were similar between the two groups (both P>0.05). Twenty-five participants (16.3%) with STDP and 16 (10.5%) with placebo experienced AEs (P=0.131), with no serious AEs observed. CONCLUSION STDP could improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina and phlegm-heat and blood stasis syndrome, with a favorable safety profile. (Registration No. ChiCTR-IPR-15006020).
Humans ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Angina, Stable/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Placebos ; Tablets

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HIV pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) and the transmission clusters associated with PDR-related mutations in newly diagnosed, treatment-naive patients between 2020 and 2023 in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China. METHODS: Demographic information and plasma samples were collected from study participants. PDR was assessed using the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database. The Tamura-Nei 93 model within HIV-TRACE was employed to compute pairwise matches with a genetic distance of 0.015 substitutions per site. RESULTS: Among 948 treatment-naive individuals with eligible sequences, 36 HIV subtypes were identified, with unique recombinant forms (URFs) being the most prevalent (18.8%, 178/948). The overall prevalence of PDR was 12.4% (118/948), and resistance to non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) was 10.7%, 1.3%, and 1.6%, respectively. A total of 91 clusters were identified, among which eight showed evidence of PDR strain transmission. The largest PDR-associated cluster consisted of six CRF01_AE drug-resistant strains carrying K103N and V179T mutations; five of these individuals had initial CD4+ cell counts < 200 cells/μL. CONCLUSION The distribution of HIV subtypes in Dehong is diverse and complex. PDR was moderately prevalent (12.4%) between 2020 and 2023. Evidence of transmission of CRF01_AE strains carrying K103N and V179T mutations was found. Routine surveillance of PDR and the strengthening of control measures are essential to limit the spread of drug-resistance HIV strains.
Humans ; HIV Infections/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Middle Aged ; HIV-1/genetics* ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use* ; Myanmar/epidemiology* ; Young Adult ; Prevalence ; Adolescent ; Mutation

Objective To understand the willingness of general practitioner(GP) to enhance working competence in community healthcare centers in Shanghai and provide a basis for the competence training of GPs in community healthcare centers. Methods In August 2023,GPs were selected from some community healthcare centers in Shanghai and their willingness to enhance working competence were studied by a questionnaire survey.The survey included 39 secondary indicators in three dimensions:general practice theory,skills,and humanity. Results A total of 1 192 GPs completed the questionnaire,with an effective rate of 100%.The total score of GPs' willingness to enhance their working competence was 258.45±80.93,and the mean score of the three dimensions was 6.63±2.08.The score for the general practice theory was the highest (6.92±1.95),while that for general practice humanity was the lowest (6.44±2.34) among the three dimensions.The score of willingness to enhance working efficiency differed across different age ranges (P<0.001),professional titles (P<0.001),years of work (P<0.001),and educational backgrounds of GPs (P=0.039).Those with the age younger than 30 years old,junior professional titles,less than 5 years of work experience,and a college degree or below had the highest willingness score to enhance their working competence.Among the top three secondary indicators of willingness score in each dimension,the top three methods of working competence enhancement were community general practice and specialized healthcare services combined with outpatient learning,flexible further training,and continuing education courses.Conclusions There is an urgent need for young GPs in community healthcare centers in Shanghai to enhance their working competence.Targeted enhancement plans can be provided to different groups of GPs with different characteristics through community general practice and specialized healthcare services combined with outpatient learning,flexible further training,and continuing education courses,which can further enhance the ability and quality of the GP team.
Humans ; China ; General Practitioners/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Community Health Centers ; Clinical Competence ; Female ; Adult ; Male ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Middle Aged

In situ bioimaging is a powerful tool for directly observing the localization, expression, and interactions of nucleic acids or protein targets within cells, providing essential insights into cell function and disease mechanisms. In recent years, the CRISPR/Cas9 system, a revolutionary gene-editing tool, has been applied to develop efficient in situ imaging techniques. This paper reviews recent CRISPR/Cas9-based imaging methods utilizing Cas9 protein, engineered single-guide RNA (sgRNA), and coupled fluorescent tags, and compares their application in living and fixed cells. It focuses on the specificity, signal amplification efficiency, and multi-modal imaging capabilities of these methods, with further discussion based on current research, aiming to offer a comprehensive overview of CRISPR/Cas9-based in situ bioimaging techniques, with some valuable reference and guidance for research in related fields.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills combined with telmisartan tablets in the treatment of hypertensive vertigo syndrome of phlegm-heat disturbance.Methods:Randomized controlled trial was conducted. Totally 80 patients with hypertension vertigo and phlegm-heat disturbance syndrome were selected from March 2021 to August 2022 at Beijing Tongrentang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine as the observation objects. They were randomly divided into two groups using a random number table method, with 40 cases in each group. The control group received oral telmisartan tablets, while the experimental group received Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills in addition to the control group. Both groups were treated for 28 days and followed up for 1 month. The patients' room blood pressure before and after treatment was measured, and TCM syndrome scores were evaluated. The dizziness assessment rating scale (DARS) was used to evaluate the severity of dizziness, adverse reactions during treatment were recorded, drug safety was observed, and clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results:The total effective rate of the experimental group was 85.0% (34/40), and that of the control group was 7.5% (3/40), with statistical significance between the two groups ( χ2=48.32, P<0.001). Compared with before treatment, the experimental group had SBP [(136.63 ± 6.01) mmHg vs. (159.30 ± 9.01) mmHg, t=-21.00] and DBP [(84.48 ± 4.36) mmHg vs. (95.30 ± 3.75) mmHg, t=-13.80] after treatment; after treatment, SBP [(137.34 ± 6.39) mmHg vs. (158.00 ± 10.06) mmHg, t=-5.28] and DBP [(86.08 ± 4.43) mmHg vs. (95.18 ± 6.61) mmHg, t=-8.09] decreased in the control group ( P<0.01), but there was no statistical significance between the two groups after treatment ( P>0.05). After treatment, the TCM syndrome scores in the experimental group (8.68 ± 3.39 vs. 15.12 ± 3.03, Z=-6.61) were lower than those in the control group ( P<0.001), and DARS score [(8.53 ± 3.93) vs. (12.20 ± 3.95), Z=-3.63] was lower than that in the control group ( P<0.001). After treatment, the therapeutic effect index of TCM syndromes in the experimental group improved compared to before treatment in the same group. The therapeutic effect index of each symptom, from high to low, was as follows: rotation of oneself or visual objects>numbness of limbs>dry stool>dizziness and dizziness>liking cold drinks>bitter and dry mouth>red urine>red tongue, yellow coating, and greasy tongue>vomiting sticky and turbid phlegm>tinnitus>smooth pulse. There were no significant adverse reactions during the treatment of the two groups. Conclusion:Tongren Niuhuang Qingxin Pills combined with telmisartan can reduce the blood pressure of patients with hypertensive vertigo syndrome of phlegm-heat disturbance, improve the vertigo symptoms and TCM syndromes of patients, and the efficacy evaluation is superior to that of telmisartan alone.