BACKGROUND: Spatiotemporal disparities exist in the disease burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) attributable to kidney dysfunction, which has been poorly assessed. The present study aimed to evaluate the spatiotemporal trends of the global burden of NCDs attributable to kidney dysfunction and to predict future trends. METHODS: Data on NCDs attributable to kidney dysfunction, quantified using deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) Study in 2019. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of age-standardized rate (ASR) was calculated with linear regression to assess the changing trend. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to determine the association between ASR and sociodemographic index (SDI) for 21 GBD regions. A Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was used to predict future trends up to 2040. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2019, the absolute number of deaths and DALYs from NCDs attributable to kidney dysfunction increased globally. The death cases increased from 1,571,720 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1,344,420-1,805,598) in 1990 to 3,161,552 (95% UI: 2,723,363-3,623,814) in 2019 for both sexes combined. Both the ASR of death and DALYs increased in Andean Latin America, the Caribbean, Central Latin America, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Southern Sub-Saharan Africa. In contrast, the age-standardized metrics decreased in the high-income Asia Pacific region. The relationship between SDI and ASR of death and DALYs was negatively correlated. The BAPC model indicated that there would be approximately 5,806,780 death cases and 119,013,659 DALY cases in 2040 that could be attributed to kidney dysfunction. Age-standardized death of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and CKD attributable to kidney dysfunction were predicted to decrease and increase from 2020 to 2040, respectively. CONCLUSION NCDs attributable to kidney dysfunction remain a major public health concern worldwide. Efforts are required to attenuate the death and disability burden, particularly in low and low-to-middle SDI regions.
Humans ; Noncommunicable Diseases/epidemiology* ; Global Burden of Disease ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Male ; Female ; Risk Factors ; Middle Aged ; Kidney Diseases/epidemiology* ; Bayes Theorem ; Adult ; Aged ; Global Health ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

This study investigated the functions and regulatory mechanism of Portulacae Herba and its chemical components on the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) inflammatory signaling pathway in the colon tissue of mice with dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis(UC). A total of 35 mice were randomly divided into groups, including a blank group, a model group, a mesalazine group(0. 5 g·kg~(-1)), and low, medium,and high dose alkaloids from Portulacae Herba groups(9, 18, 36 mg·kg~(-1)), and a combination treatment group, with 5 mice in each group. The blank group was given purified water, while the other groups were continuously given a 3% DSS solution for 7 days to induce the UC model. From day 8 onwards, the treatment group received oral gavage according to the prescribed doses for 14 days. The overall condition, body weight, stool characteristics, and presence of blood in the stool were recorded daily. After the experiment, the disease activity index(DAI) was assessed for each group, and colon length was measured. Histopathological changes in colon tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interleukin-1β( IL-1β) in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA). The protein and m RNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in colon tissue were measured using Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR).Compared to the blank group, the model group showed a significant decrease in body weight, a notable increase in DAI scores, a significant shortening of colon length, and evident histopathological damage. The levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum were significantly elevated, and the protein and m RNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in colon tissue were significantly up-regulated. In contrast, the alkaloids from Portulacae Herba treatment groups significantly improved symptoms and reduced body weight loss in mice, decreased DAI scores, alleviated colon shortening, lowered serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,significantly down-regulated the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB proteins and genes in colon tissue, as well as reduced histopathological damage. Therefore, the study suggests that alkaloids from Portulacae Herba can alleviate intestinal inflammation damage in DSS-induced UC mice, with its mechanism involving the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/immunology* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/immunology* ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Alkaloids/administration & dosage* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Female ; Colon/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

This study explored the active ingredients for anti-angiogenesis in Wenyujin Rhizoma Concisum. Ten sesquiterpenoids were isolated from Wenyujin Rhizoma Concisum by silica gel column chromatography, thin layer chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography. According to the results of multiple spectroscopic methods and circular dichroism, they were identified as wenyujinlactam A(1),(4S,7S)11-hydroxycurdione(2), 8,9-seco-4β-hydroxy-1α,5βH-7(11)-guaen-8,10-olide(3), curcumadione(4), phaeocaulisin E(5), procurcumadiol(6), zedouronediol(7), epiprocurcumenol(8), gajutsulactone A(9), and(7Z)-1β,4α-dihydroxy-5α,8β(H)-eudesm-7(11)-en-8,12-olide(10). Compounds 1 and 2 were new sesquiterpenoids. Compounds 1, 6, 8, and 10 can inhibit human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC) proliferation with IC_(50) values of 38.83, 45.19, 32.12, and 37.80 μmol·L~(-1), respectively. Compounds 1 and 10 can inhibit HUVEC migration with IC_(50) values of 29.70 and 36.48 μmol·L~(-1), respectively.
Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/drug effects* ; Molecular Structure ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects*

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) processing is a specialized pharmaceutical technique with the primary objective of reducing the toxicity of medicinal substances. Euphorbia pekinensis, E. ebracteolata, and E. fischeriana, all belonging to Euphorbiaceae, are classified as drastic purgative herbs, traditionally used for eliminating retained water, reducing swelling, resolving toxicity, and dispersing masses. However, these herbs are also associated with adverse effects such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Accordingly, they are commonly processed with vinegar, milk, or Terminalia chebula decoction to reduce the toxicity. This review summarizes the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, historical evolution of processing methods, and detoxification mechanisms of the three toxic Euphorbia species. The primary toxic constituents are terpenoids. Specifically, E. ebracteolata and E. fischeriana are rich in diterpenoids, while E. pekinensis contains diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoids. Studies have shown that vinegar processing promotes structural transformations of diterpenoids, including ether bond hydrolysis, lactone ring opening, esterification, oxidation, and epoxide ring cleavage, thereby reducing the content and toxicity of these compounds. Milk processing facilitates the dissolution of toxic components into the residual liquid of excipients, leading to decreases in their concentrations in the final decoction pieces. Processing with T. chebula decoction raises the levels of tannin-derived phenolic acids, which antagonize the adverse effects of the intestine. These findings reveal a shared detoxification pattern among the three toxic herbs. Accordingly, this review proposes the concept of a shared detoxification mechanism for toxic herbs belonging to the same family or genus. That is, toxic herbs belonging to the same taxon often exhibit similar toxicological profiles and can undergo detoxification through the same processing methods, reflecting common underlying mechanisms. Investigating such shared mechanisms across multiple species of the same genus offers a promising research strategy. Ultimately, the research into processing-induced detoxification mechanisms provides both theoretical and practical support for ensuring the safety of toxic TCM.
Euphorbia/classification* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/metabolism* ; Humans ; Animals ; Inactivation, Metabolic ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

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 analyze the stress distributions of two root canal preparation shapes of oval root canals with micro-crack.Methods Twenty single-canal mandibular premolars with oval canals were expanded to create micro-cracks.Roots were sectioned after staining.The generation and distribution of dentin micro-cracks were observed under microscope.Then a finite element(FE)model of sectioned enlarged oval canal roots with micro-cracks was established.The stress distribution of micro-crack and root were analyzed under lateral loading.Results Cracks always appeared in the buccolingual sides of oval canal roots and extended from the intracanal wall to the root surface.This was consistent with the stress concentration on the buccolingual side of the root canal wall shown by FE analysis.When micro-cracks occurred,stresses were transferred to the crack tip and the peak values increased sharply nearly 5 times.This made the cracks propagate easily along this direction,especially in the long axis direction of the tooth.Conclusions The presence of micro-cracks does not change the general stress concentration on root with two preparation morphologies of oval canals.However,the micro-crack causes an extreme stress concentration in the crack tip.This may be the mechanism of rapid propagation of microcracks into vertical root fracture,and dentists need to pay high attention.

A new method was developed for simultaneous detection of total 19 kinds of organophosphate esters(OPEs)and their diester metabolites(di-OPEs)in human serum(1.0 mL)and urine(1.5 mL)with low volume of samples.The target compounds were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)after acetonitrile liquid-liquid extraction combined with purification using an ENVI-18 solid-phase extraction(SPE)column.OPEs and di-OPEs were separated using a Shim-pack GIST C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,2 μm)with a Shim-pack GIST-HP(G)C18 guard column.An electrospray ionization source(ESI)was employed in mass spectrometry analysis,with positive/negative ion mode using the multiple reaction monitoring(MRM).All target compounds were separated within 15 min,and exhibited good linear relationships in the concentration range of 2-100 ng/mL,with correlation coefficients(R2)above 0.994.The method detection limits(MDL)in serum ranged from 0.001 to 0.178 ng/mL and the MDL in urine ranged from 0.001 to 0.119 ng/mL.The recoveries of the analytes spiked in serum and urine matrices at two concentration levels were 30.5%-126.8%,with the relative standard deviations(RSDs)ranged from 1%to 23%.In addition,paired serum and urine samples from 11 patients were analyzed.For all samples tested,the internal standards of OPEs exhibited recoveries between 61%and 114%,whereas the internal standards for di-OPEs had recoveries ranging from 43%to 103%.OPEs and di-OPEs exhibited high detection frequencies in 22 serum and urine samples.Triethyl phosphate(TEP),tributyl phosphate(TBP),tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate(TEHP),tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate(TBEP),tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate(TCIPP),triphenyl phosphate(TPHP),tri-m-tolyl-phosphate(TMTP)and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate(EHDPP)were universally detected in all serum samples.TCIPP was identified at the highest concentrations(median 0.548 ng/mL)in serum samples.In urine samples,the detection frequency for 12 kinds of target compounds reached 100%.Notably,TBP emerged as the predominant OPE in urine,demonstrating a median concentration of 0.506 ng/mL.Regarding di-OPEs,bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphate(BCEP)and bis(2-butoxyethyl)hydrogen phosphate(BBOEP)were the most abundant in urine,with median concentrations of 6.404 and 2.136 ng/mL,respectively.The total concentrations of OPEs and di-OPEs in serum and urine were 1.580-3.843 ng/mL and 5.149-17.537 ng/mL,respectively.These results not only confirmed the effectiveness of the method in detection of OPEs and di-OPEs in biological matrices,but also revealed the widespread presence of OPE compounds in human body and pointed to potential exposure risks.

Objective To track and evaluate the improvement efficacy of a 3-year continuous implementation of special action of"Improving the pathogen detection rate before antimicrobial therapy",and provide evidence-based basis for future work.Methods Clinical data of inpatients in a tertiary comprehensive hospital from 2020 to 2023 were collected.The baseline survey result in 2020 was taken as the pre-improvement group,and the continuous im-plementation of special action improvement goal from 2021 to 2023 was as the post-improvement group.Measures were taken,including improving the information system,establishing a multi-department collaboration mechanism,providing multi-level training and education for all staff,standardizing medical behavior and pathogen detection processes,and strengthening supervision efficiency.Indicators were dynamically tracked and strategies were fo-llowed up promptly.Monitoring and data acquisition were carried out through the hospital infection information sys-tem.R 4.1.3 statistical software was adopted to compare the differences between two sets of indicators and the changing trends of data in different years,and the improvement efficacy was evaluated.Results After promoting the improvement goal of 3-year special action,the therapeutic antimicrobials usage rate decreased,presenting a downward trend with years(P＜0.001).Pathogen detection rate before antimicrobial therapy increased from 39.38％to 85.40％;blood culture detection rate increased from 14.11％to 49.28％;pathogen detection rates before restricted and special antimicrobial therapy increased from 31.76％and 55.97％to 92.11％and 99.10％,respectively;patho-gen detection rate before combined use of key antimicrobial agents increased from 83.09％to 97.74％,all presen-ting increasing trends year by year(all P＜0.001).The detection rate of multidrug-resistant organisms decreased.Detection rates of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE)and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)presented downward trends(P＜0.001).Healthcare-associated infection(HAI)diagnosis-related patho-gen detection rate remained above 90％.Consistency rate between specimen collection and infection sites increased from 73.26％to 91.67％,with an increasing trend year by year(P＜0.05).The internal medicine department had the lowest consistency rate,while the critical care medicine department had the highest consistency rate.Conclusion Three-year continuous promotion of the special action improvement goal and dynamic evaluation have greatly im-proved the clinical medical personnel's capability in judging the indicators and detection timing of pathogen speci-mens accurately,standardized diagnosis and treatment behavior,and guided the correct and rational use of antimi-crobial agents in clinical practice,thus reduced the occurrence of bacterial resistance in hospital.

Objective: To explore the prevalence of elevated blood pressure and overweight/obesity and their comorbidities among Tibetan middle school students in Lhasa, and to analyze their association with lifestyle and other factors, so as to provide a basis for the intervention measures targeting elevated blood pressure, overweight and obesity among middle school students in high altitude area. Methods: Using a stratified cluster random sampling method in September 2021, a total of 1 488 Tibetan junior and high students from Lhasa City were investigated with blood pressure measurement, physical examination and questionnaire survey. The influencing factors of elevated blood pressure, overweight and obesity and their comorbidities association were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of elevated blood pressure, overweight/obesity and their comorbidities were 17.8%, 17.4% , 5.0% respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age( OR =0.81), residence, body mass inex(BMI) and gender were the influencing factors of elevated blood pressure; and the risks of elevated blood pressure in female students were higher than male students ( OR =1.89), suburban students were higher than urban students ( OR =8.06), overweight and obesity groups were higher than normal groups ( OR =2.55, 2.87) ( P <0.05). Adjusting for confounding factors such as gender, residence and school, and BMI (only for elevated blood pressure), daily screen time ≥2 h was positively correlated with elevated blood pressure, overweight/obesity and its comorbidities ( OR =1.56, 1.59 , 2.51) ( P <0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of elevated blood pressure, overweight/obesity are relatively high in Lhasa. Longer screen time is a common factor affecting with elevated blood pressure, overweight/obesity and comorbidities among Tibetan students. Measures should be taken intervene in the lifestyle of Tibetan students, in order to reduce elevated blood pressure and overweight/obesity.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of a compound oral sulfate solution for preoperative bowel cleansing in colonic polyp patients.Methods Patients who underwent colonoscopic polypectomy were divided into control group and treatment group according to cohort method methods.Patients in the control group were given compound polyethylene glycol electrolyte powder.They started taking it 4-6 hours before colonoscopy and completed the 4 liters of solution within 2 hours.Patients in the treatment group were given a compound oral sulfate solution.They took 1.5 liters of the solution the evening before surgery and repeated the same dosage on the day of the operation.Intestinal cleanliness was assessed using the Boston bowel preparation scale(BBPS),bowel preparation compliance,drug tolerance,patient satisfaction,and incidence of adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups.Results Control group and treatment group each consisted of 40 cases.The total BBPS scores for the control group and treatment group were(6.68±1.19)and(7.43±1.23)points,respectively.This difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01).Medication compliance rates in the control group and treatment group were 70.00％(28 cases/40 cases)and 95.00％(38 cases/40 cases),respectively;movement compliance rates were 67.50％(27 cases/40 cases)and 97.50％(39 cases/40 cases)in the two groups,while medication tolerance rates were 67.50％(27 cases/40 cases)and 90.00％(36 cases/40 cases);patient satisfaction with bowel preparation were(1.89±0.75)and(2.42±0.43)points for the control and treatment groups,respectively;statistically significant differences were found between the control and treatment groups in all the above indicators(P＜0.05,P＜0.01,P＜0.001).The main adverse drug reactions in the control and treatment groups were nausea and vomiting,with occurrence rates of 10.00％(4 cases/40 cases)and 5.00％(2 cases/40 cases),respectively.The comparison of adverse drug reactions occurrence rate between the two groups showed no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion Taking compound oral sulfate solution for intestinal preparation,the intestinal cleaning effect is better than that of compound polyethylene glycol electrolyte powder,and the patient's compliance and drug tolerance are higher,and the patient's satisfaction can be effectively improved.